<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Jackson trying to make name for himselfAssociated PressNational Football League News Wiresports.espn.go.com/esp...id=2533859MANKATO, Minn. -- Tarvaris Jackson didn't win any ESPY awards like Vince Young.His draft stock didn't skyrocket at the NFL Combine like Jay Cutler.And the bouncers at those trendy Los Angeles night clubs that Matt Leinart likes to frequent wouldn't recognize Jackson if he was staring them right in the face.But the little-known quarterback from Division I-AA Alabama State is out to show that the 2006 QB class doesn't end after the first round.The anonymity suits Jackson just fine."I really don't even look into that stuff," he said. "The Vikings drafted me and that's all that I concentrate on -- me and my teammates. The rest of that stuff, that's the media stuff. I don't really get caught up in that stuff."He grew up in sleepy Montgomery, Ala., living with an older sister and his mother, who worked two jobs just so she could put food on the table."Not that big of a town, kind of small," Jackson said of Montgomery. "My mom kind of had it hard raising us, but I never really had a problem getting in trouble. I had guys older than me looking out for me."Jackson started his college career at Arkansas, but transferred back to Alabama State after one season because Matt Jones, now a receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars, was firmly entrenched as the Razorbacks' starting quarterback.Throwing for 7,893 yards and 67 touchdowns in three seasons with the Hornets certainly was impressive, but Alabama State barely registers as a blip on the college football radar screen when compared with Texas and Southern California, the tradition-rich Division I-A heavyweights where Young and Leinart starred.So while Young and Leinart have been lauded as future saviors in Tennessee and Arizona, respectively, Vikings fans are still trying to figure out who the heck this guy is that their team traded up into the second round to get.Being overshadowed doesn't bother Jackson because he's been overshadowed nearly his whole life.He didn't play at Alabama or Auburn, the only two schools that really matter in the eyes of the majority of the football-crazy state.Yet Jackson just kept plugging along, praying that a tireless work ethic and an insulating group of family and friends would be enough to get him noticed."I always dreamed of it, but you never knew if it was going to happen," he said. "I always tried to work hard because I thought that just one day of not working hard might keep me from making it."And while there was plenty of temptation in the poor streets of Montgomery, Jackson said he had no problem avoiding trouble despite not having a father at home."There were always people there, guys that have been through it, guys who were my age who were trying to always help me out," Jackson said. "They would say, 'Don't do that. Don't be like me."That guidance worked. After a private workout, new Vikings coach Brad Childress fell in love with his mechanics and arm strength.On draft day, the Vikings pounced on Jackson at the end of the second round despite most projections that he would be a second-day pick at best.With the 37-year-old Brad Johnson running the show in Minnesota, Jackson shouldn't have to wait too long to get his chance."You say, 'Well, is Tarvaris Jackson the quarterback of the future?" Childress said. "In a perfect world, that would be the plan. How soon? Next year? Don't know. We'll watch, and we'll watch Brad as he goes along, too."For now, Jackson is content learning from Johnson, who has seen just about everything there is to see in his 14 years in the NFL."It feels good being beside a guy who has won a Super Bowl," Jackson said. "When you get in, you try to pick his brain and learn as much as possible from him."His work ethic is already impressing coaches and teammates, and the ball zips out of his hand with more authority than any other QB in camp.But he still has so much to learn, and he knows that.As Jackson walked off the field drenched in sweat after practice on Saturday evening, fans clamored for autographs and pictures, a new scenario for a guy who is not used to getting this kind of attention."See, you're a star now," an observer says to him."No," he says as a big smile creeping across his face. "Not yet."</div>
I think he has some major potential, even though you probably could have had him in the third round (After we leapfroged you guys for Kellen Clemens in the draft) Although I can understand not wanting to take that risk. I would expect him to be your starting QB in 2007 mainly because of Brad Johnson's age. Alot of the best QB's in the league today were taking outside of the First Round (Drew Brees, Brett Favre, Matt Hasselbeck, Tom Brady, Jake Delhomme all come to mind) so I dont see why Jackson and Kellen Clemens cant do the same.
I remember when his name was called my first thought was "wow, they overspent."Everyone knows that they wanted Kellen Clemens, but since the Jets stole him they went plan B and took Jackson.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jon_Vilma @ Aug 3 2006, 02:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I remember when his name was called my first thought was "wow, they overspent."Everyone knows that they wanted Kellen Clemens, but since the Jets stole him they went plan B and took Jackson.</div>That still doesn't explain why we traded up with our 2 third rounders to grab him. That must mean that someone had their eye on him and that he was our 2nd chance to get a good QB in the 2nd.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jon_Vilma @ Aug 2 2006, 10:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Everyone knows that they wanted Kellen Clemens, but since the Jets stole him they went plan B and took Jackson.</div>Jets seem to be the masters of that, 2 Years Ago we stole Nugent in the second round who you guys were coveting and last year we took Clemens when you wanted him. Why you traded up for Jackson im not sure, my guess would be that you didnt want to risk it and end up with Choice 3 for the backup QB.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ Aug 3 2006, 11:30 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jon_Vilma @ Aug 2 2006, 10:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Everyone knows that they wanted Kellen Clemens, but since the Jets stole him they went plan B and took Jackson.</div>Jets seem to be the masters of that, 2 Years Ago we stole Nugent in the second round who you guys were coveting and last year we took Clemens when you wanted him. Why you traded up for Jackson im not sure, my guess would be that you didnt want to risk it and end up with Choice 3 for the backup QB.</div>I think all of that was payback for when we stole Antoine Winfield out from under your noses. I remember he was up in NY visiting when Tice gave him a call and told him to come to minnesota and that we had a contract offer. He left like 10 minutes later on a jet and we signed him.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PurplePeopleEaters @ Aug 3 2006, 07:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I think all of that was payback for when we stole Antoine Winfield out from under your noses. I remember he was up in NY visiting when Tice gave him a call and told him to come to minnesota and that we had a contract offer. He left like 10 minutes later on a jet and we signed him. </div>True, and then he used the pussiest excuse ever that 'His wife didn't like New York' when in reality it was because the Vikings were offering 5 million more dollers.
