Sacramento State star lineman raises NFL draft stock after impressive Senior Bowl showing
Jackson Slater doesn’t need reminders of his football worth and ability to knock guys onto their backside.
The three-time Sacramento State All-American interior lineman knows how good he is, displaying his ferocious ability to drive block or pass block defenders eager to invade his space as one of the most accomplished players in the program’s 70 years of football.
But after a rousing series of workout sessions late last month at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, where he squared up against bruisers from big-name colleges from across the country in prospects high on the NFL draft board, Slater couldn’t help himself. He had to take a peek at the film and analysis on the internet since everyone has an opinion.
“I even Googled myself to see,” Slater said with a laugh. “It was really cool. It was nice to be recognized, to show that I belonged, that I can play this sport and play in the NFL.”
To be sure, the Senior Bowl is a who’s who of prospects who engaged in daily drills and scrimmages and then played in the game, all under the watchful eye of a horde of NFL scouts, coaches and front-office personnel.
The 6-foot-4, 320-pound Slater more than held his own. That wasn’t just his opinion. That was shared by his Sacramento State position coach, Kris Richardson, who watched the action up close and personal in Mobile, and it was shared by those who offered grades to prospects, including some that offered an A mark for Slater.
“I was on my way to Bakersfield for a recruiting trip when (new Hornets head coach Brennan Marion) asked me if I wanted to go to Mobile instead to watch Jackson,” Richardson said. “’Well, yeah!’ That was great. And without a doubt, Jackson showed that he belonged there. His physicality, his toughness, his versatility, his intelligence, how well he interviewed, he was right there. He fit right in. He was lining up in practice against guys from LSU, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Georgia, Alabama, and he won every single rep. It was really impressive and great to see.”
Richardson said he was approached by scores of coaches and scouts inquiring about Slater the player, the leader and the man. What Richardson told them was that Slater was a sure thing, that he has the tools and drive to achieve, that he can play either guard position or center.
In those Senior Bowl workouts, Slater received reps at left guard, right guard and at center, making a seamless transition to each position. Slater had snaps at all three positions in the game. He was on full display in what amounted to a job interview to block for substantial pay in the big money sport that is the NFL.
“He did great at every position, all of them, and that was what the NFL people were talking about down there,” Richardson said. “They want a swing guy who can play all three interior line positions. That’s going to be a slam dunk for Jackson. I told the NFL guys there that he can learn anything, is hungry, is smart and determined, and that he’s not a one-trick pony. This guy can really play.”
Even when Richardson flew back home to Sacramento, a scout/coach from the Kansas City Chiefs on the flight raved about Slater the person. Slater was interviewed by someone from each of the 32 teams in the NFL, some of them more than once.
Slater wasn’t just measured for his height and weight but for how big his hands are, how wide his wingspan is, and who and what he’s all about. They learned that Slater grew up in the state of Washington, where he played multiple sports at Newport High School in Bellevue, the son of a one-time college lineman at Western Washington.
They found out that Slater earned a degree in finance at Sacramento State, that he remained loyal to the program right to the end in an era of the transfer portal, and that he lives for the chance to play in the NFL.
Slater had rolling momentum as a Hornets player, starting 44 games and playing all five line positions either in practice, spring drills or in games, and that he had a motor that never hit idle. The momentum carried him through Mobile, and he now prepares for the NFL Combine in Indianapolis that runs Feb. 27 through March 2. Prospects do a series of drills, including the 40-yard dash, and more interviews, in front of even more NFL brass.
“The Senior Bowl was a great experience, and I loved all of it,” Slater said. “The Combine is for sure a big deal. I had more nerves going into the Senior Bowl more than the Combine. I’ve always been a guy who’s tested well in football, so I’m not too worried how I’ll do at the Combine. I’m fully confident that I’ll do fine. It’s obviously going to be a great moment for me, and all of this — playing football — is Plan A for me in my life. I will continue to put as much into this as I can. I’ve enjoyed every part of the process.”
In the pit, one has to be a thinker, too
Slater said his biggest concern leading into Senior Bowl week was getting knocked backward. It happens in this sport, but it did not happen to Slater in Mobile. And it did not happen as a senior at Sacramento State, where he did not allow a single sack or even a quarterback hit.
Slater is projected to be drafted anywhere between the third and seventh rounds.
“In doing a lot of self reflecting, I did a lot of good things there,” Slater said. “I think I definitely helped my draft position. I showed that even though I came from a smaller, FCS school, that I was more than capable of going against really good players from big schools. I held my own. I didn’t want to get man-handled in one on ones. But halfway through my first day, I had a lot of confidence about who I am as a football player.”
Slater reminds that playing in the pit, the trenches, isn’t just about overpowering your guy in a slugfest of muscle and might. There is technique, hand and foot placement, hip action, and one has to think fast on his feet as he takes on defenders bent on taking the offense apart.
“It’s more technical than the general fan might think,” Slater said. “I’d argue aside from the quarterback, a lineman has to be the most intelligent guy on the field. Each play, you’re working with other guys, a combo on in inside zone play, a three-man slide and protect, and each player on the line has to be on the same page. I love it.”
From Bellevue to Sac State
Slater grew up in Bellevue, located some 10 miles from Seattle in the Pacific Northwest, playing football, baseball and basketball until he settled on football only midway through high school.
As a sophomore starter on varsity, Slater played left tackle in a season opener, got out in space and “blocked three dudes on one play that led to a touchdown,” Slater recalled with a sense of glee and pride. “That was the play where I thought that I might be pretty good at this football thing.”
COVID wiped out Slater’s senior season of football in the fall of 2020 as it did for players across the country, but he did his part to send out film of game action and of workouts to college coaches near and far. He took his craft seriously, working with a line coach and a personal trainer.
The film Slater sent to Sacramento State caught the eye of Richardson, the Hornets line coach. The Hornets were Slater’s first full scholarship offer, and once he met Richardson, the relationship was sealed.
“I saw his film and thought, ‘I like this guy!’” Richardson said. “Jackson did all the work to get his name out there. He was doing it on his own. They had an All-Star game despite not having a fall season, and I told Jackson to send me every practice rep piece of film and the game, and then we got the green light to offer him. He recruited me as hard as I recruited him, it it worked out great. I’m not sure we get him if he did have a senior year of high school.”
Slater pondered the transfer portal as schools reached out offering a bigger-name football program and some Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) money. He spoke to Richardson about it and expressed a desire to remain a Hornet.
“I’m glad I stayed,” Slater said. “It was a great fit for me.”
Slater is ‘family’
Richardson’s two former Hornets offensive linemen sons, Kooper and Kaden, became close to Slater in recent years, and they texted him during Senior Bowl week to offer their insight.
Slater said he is indebted to the Richardson family, including Richardson’s wife, Kelly, who insisted Slater come for holiday dinners, be it July 4, Easter, Thanksgiving and/or Christmas. What hungry lineman turns that deal down? Slater said the Richardson’s are “family to me,” and said he expects a lifetime of friendship.
“It was so cool to have Coach Richardson in Mobile to see me,” Slater said. “The entire Richardson family means a lot to me. They really took me in as an out-of-state guy, and they were always welcoming. I am so thankful for that.”
Off the field, Slater said he’s “a bit of a nerd,” a man who dabbles in Star Wars movies, Marvel and DC comics, and he collects sports cards and holds his own in building Legos. Mostly, he “rests and recovers” after workouts, his eyes set on an NFL future.
“I’m really excited,” Slater said. “I know I can do this.”
