Tarvaris Jackson

Infobox NFLactive

---

width=150
caption=Tarvaris Jackson at the Vikings 2008 Training Camp.
currentteam=Minnesota Vikings
currentnumber=7
currentposition=Quarterback
birthdate=birth date and age|1983|4|21
birthplace=Montgomery, Alabama
heightft=6
heightin=2
weight=232
debutyear=2006
debutteam=Minnesota Vikings
college=Alabama State
draftyear=2006
draftround=2
draftpick=64
pastteams=
* Minnesota Vikings (2006-present)
statweek=2
statseason=2008
statlabel1=TD-INT
statvalue1=12-17
statlabel2=Passing yards
statvalue2=2,694
statlabel3=QB Rating
statvalue3=68.5
nfl=JAC566507

Tarvaris Jackson (born April 21, 1983 in Montgomery, Alabama) is an American football quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Vikings in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Alabama State.

College career

Jackson played in I-A during the 2001 season and part of 2002 while attending the University of Arkansas. A shoulder injury kept him from starting full time and when it was decided Matt Jones would start at quarterback instead of him, he transferred to Alabama State University, a historically black Division I-AA institution in his hometown of Montgomery. During Jackson's senior year, he amassed 2,655 yards, 25 touchdowns, and only 5 interceptions with a 61.1% completion rate. Jackson has been given several nicknames such as "T-Jack". In three seasons at Alabama State, Jackson completed 537 of 985 attempts for 7,838 yards, with 67 touchdown passes and 27 interceptions. In the combine, NFL scouts marveled at his arm strength and mobility.

Professional career

2006 NFL Draft

The Vikings scouting and personnel had reportedly been watching him closely in secret over his senior season, particularly liking his performance in the East-West Shrine Game. They were also impressed by his workout at the scouting combine (among the top-5 quarterbacks in ball speed and 40 yard dash). Several NFL teams including the Vikings had arranged secret workouts with him too. Jackson was selected with the last pick in the 2nd round (64th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft, while he was projected to go much later in the 4th-7th rounds. The Vikings traded two 3rd round picks to get the 2nd round pick with which they drafted Jackson, fearing he may get picked sooner than anticipated. Jackson's early selection caused some surprise as he was the 5th quarterback taken and the 1st Division I-AA player selected (the last I-AA quarterback drafted was Spergon Wynn in 2000). He was also the first quarterback from Alabama State to be drafted into the NFL since Ricky Jones in 1992. Even Jackson was surprised by the pick saying, "I was more focused on [getting drafted in] the third round and even that was stretching it". [ [http://www.onnidan.com/05-06/news/april/alst0429.htm Jackson's Reaction] . Jackson's reaction after getting drafted.] Most pre-draft publications didn't even have him listed as one of the top 10 eligible quarterbacks, while he was the 5th selected. On 26 July 2006, Jackson signed a four year deal with Minnesota, including a $1 million signing bonus. [ [http://www.cbc.ca CBC.CA] - " [http://www.cbc.ca/cp/football/060726/f072680.html Vikings sign quarterback Tarvaris Jackson to four-year contract] ". Originally published on 26 July 2006. Retrieved on 16 April 2007.]

Vikings coach Brad Childress was quoted days before the draft as saying he was interested in finding a "developmental guy", a "diamond in the rough" quarterback of the future, raw talent he could teach a system. [ [http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=FBN-VIKINGS-04-26-06 Childress Quotes before draft] . Childress quotes before the draft.] Both new coach Childress and Vikings former quarterback Brad Johnson have had a lot of success developing quarterbacks in the past - A.J. Feeley and Donovan McNabb owe a lot of their success to Childress, and Chris Simms says Brad Johnson was the best tutor he's ever had. Jackson's quarterback coach at Alabama State, Reggie Barlow, played wide receiver with Brad Johnson at Tampa Bay so Tarvaris had been looking forward to learning from him. Other Vikings coaches have experience developing quarterbacks too. Vikings Quarterbacks Coach Kevin Rogers had developed Donovan McNabb in college. And Offensive Coordinator Darrell Bevell had spent time as Quarterbacks Coach to Brett Favre too. The use of two 3rd round picks showed how much they felt Tarvaris was the guy they wanted to use their skills to develop.

The day after the draft Vikings coach Childress was quoted by the St. Paul Pioneer Press as saying: "I think you judge quarterbacks a little bit differently...When you see what you want at the quarterback position, you need to go get it. And that's exactly what I see with Tarvaris Jackson is a guy that's a piece of clay, that has all the skills in terms of, No. 1, what's he look like throwing the football?...He's got a great throwing motion; he's athletic. He has all those things that we're looking for, and he's wired right. That's important for a quarterback. I think he's a flatline guy. I think he's a sponge. You're talking about a guy that never had a coach there as a quarterback coach. So what can he do with coaching?" [ [http://vikings.scout.com/2/526690.html Childress Quotes after draft] .] Jackson's agent, Joel Segal, said: "After the draft, there were two clubs that expressed disappointment and were mad they didn't get him. They were planning to take (Jackson) very high in the third round, and were lamenting the fact that the Vikings beat them".

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NFL

Personal life

Tarvaris Jackson lives in Bloomington, Minnesota with his wife and has one son, Tarvaris II, who was born September 14, 2007.

References

External links

* [http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2006/jackson_tarvaris NFL.com Draft Prospect Profile of Tarvaris Jackson] Scouting report of Jackson written up by JR Scouting LLC on NFL.com