Coming out of high school as a wide receiver, Calvin Jackson was a three-star prospect and had a father who had played in the National Football League for a total of six years.
When he lost his academic eligibility, he was compelled to attend junior college instead of Toledo, where he had originally planned to enroll.
Jackson enrolled in Independence Community College, the institution that was the subject of the Netflix documentary “Last Chance U.”
He caught 74 passes for 1,030 yards and nine touchdowns throughout his two seasons there, however his output was lesser in year two than it was in year one.
Jackson transferred to Washington State after these two years, where his first season saw him catch 26 receptions for 287 yards and two touchdowns.
His career stagnated over the following two years as a result of injuries, where he only managed to catch 12 receptions for 129 yards and one touchdown.
He caught 66 catches for 987 yards and seven touchdowns while still being a returnee in 2021, earning him a spot on the second team of the Pac 12.
After the draft, Jackson wasn’t initially signed to an undrafted free agent contract and wasn’t even invited to the scouting combine. He went to Jets rookie camp on a tryout basis but pleased the coaches there to win a contract.