ORLANDO, Fla. — UCF offensive lineman Sam Jackson is a born leader.
“That’s who he is, the kind of human being he is,” said Jennifer Jackson, Sam’s mom.
It shows on the field.
“Sam after the ECU game Coach (Gus) Malzahn pointed to you that as one of the main reasons why Mikey Keene was able to stay calm,” stated a member of the UCF media.
“Just being a veteran guy and being a leader that’s what you have to do. You have to remind guys that it’s only one play at a time,” said Sam Jackson, in response.
But it doesn’t stop there.
The Saturday morning after a late Friday night game Sam led his teammates, friends, and family in a Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
“It’s something that has been important to me my entire life. My grandpa went through Alzheimer so there’s a saying that if those who can will so it’s something I know I can be apart of and I can support this from the platform that I am in why wouldn’t I do it,” said Sam Jackson.
Using his name, image, and likeness for something bigger than himself.
“If it means something to me like how much it does mean to me then I want to do anything I can to help out,” said Sam.
A selfless trait that doesn’t come as a surprise to his close friends.
“Just the kindness, just the way he makes people feel, his dedication, his leadership. There is so many different that you can say things but it’s just not enough to sit there and say what kind of guy he is,” said Kalebe Johnson, Sam’s close friend since middle school.
“I know he’d do the same for us if he ever needed him so I am always happy to return the favor for him,” said Zack Misiura, Sam’s close friend since freshman year of high school.
Sam has had this big heart since the start.
“We used to go through Burger King Saturday mornings and if he saw a homeless person on the street he’d want to give them his food so we would have to go back through Burger King to get more food for him so yeah that’s who he is,” said Jennifer Jackson.
A giving mindset he learned from his late grandpa.
“He was caring, warm, kind and would help anyone he could. He owned a donut shop growing up and that was my fondest thing was we would always go up to his donut shop,” said Sam.
“Any customers if they didn’t have money he would feed them. If they were homeless he would take food to them. He would save our donuts and give them away to people who didn’t have anything,” said Jennifer.
“He’s everything I want to be as a man and I hope to prove him right by doing that,” said Sam.
With every step Sam takes he is doing just that.
“It’s awesome to know that that’s who he is because it’s only going to make the world a better place,” said Jennifer.