Honors & Awards
- Drafted by the Buffalo Bills (1999 - 7th Round, Pick #230)
- University of Nebraska Graduate (May, 1999)
- Member of Three Nebraska National Championship Teams (1994, 1995, 1997)
- Second-Team All-American (AP, 1998)
- First-Team All-Big 12 (AP, Kansas City Star, 1998)
- Second-Team All-Big 12 (Coaches, Austin American-Statesman, 1998)
- Co-Captain (1998)
Career
A four-year letterman for the Huskers in 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998, Sheldon Jackson finished his NU career by playing in 46 regular-season games and four bowl contests. He started 15 regular-season games and the 1998 Holiday Bowl for the Huskers. He had 40 career receptions for 632 yards and 10 touchdowns. Jackson was a redshirt freshman on Nebraska's 1994 national championship team and a major contributor on Nebraska's 1995 and 1997 national championship squads.
Jackson's 15.8 yards per catch in his career ranked 22nd all-time at Nebraska and fourth among NU tight ends at the conclusion of his career. His 632 receiving yards ranked 29th overall and sixth among tight ends, while his 40 receptions ranked 31st at NU and eighth among tight ends.
Jackson was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He would play for the Bills the following three seasons (1999, 2000 and 2001) and would appear in 45 games (starting 13 of them). He'd finish with 71 receiving yards on 10 catches with two touchdowns.
1998 (Senior)
Jackson put the finishing touches on a stellar four-year career as a Nebraska captain and tight end by earning second-team All-America honors from the Associated Press. A first-team All-Big 12 selection as a senior, Jackson started all 12 games and hauled in 19 catches for 343 yards and four touchdowns. He notched the longest catch of his career with a 48-yard reception against Louisiana Tech. His other catch against them went for 46 yards and a touchdown, as he posted a career-best 94 receiving yards on the day. Jackson finished with three catches of 40 or more yards on the season and closed the year with an average of 18.1 yards per reception. He had three catches for 33 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown grab in a win over UAB. He added two catches for 70 yards (40-yard and 30-yard receptions) in a win over Oklahoma State. He finished with four receptions for 48 yards, including a pair of touchdown catches in a win over Kansas State. Jackson started in the 1998 Holiday Bowl against Arizona, but did not have any receptions.
1997 (Junior)
Jackson was one of three tight ends in regular playing rotation. He appeared in 12 games with one start and finished the regular season with 11 catches for 189 yards and two touchdowns. He played a major role in Nebraska's national championship game win over Tennessee in the 1998 Orange Bowl, hauling in four receptions for 56 yards to help the Huskers capture their fifth national title in school history. He finished the year as Nebraska's fifth-leading receiver and averaged 17.2 yards per catch, including a season-long 37-yard grab against Baylor. He had a season-high three receptions on two occasions.
1996 (Sophomore)
Jackson played in all 12 games and started two, the season opener against Michigan State and at Iowa State. He caught four passes for 48 yards and scored two touchdowns on the year. His first touchdown grab came with a one-yarder against Colorado State, before adding an eight-yard catch in a win over Kansas. He added one catch for 11 yards in Nebraska's 1996 Orange Bowl victory over Virginia Tech.
1995 (Freshman)
Jackson worked his way up the Husker depth chart and saw extensive playing time behind starter Mark Gilman, particularly when Tim Carpenter was sidelined by knee injury that required surgery late in the season. Jackson caught six passes in 10 games for 52 yards, including two touchdowns. He had a six-yard touchdown catch against Missouri and an 11-yard score against Kansas State, when he had a season-best two catches for 18 yards. His longest catch was 15 yards against Pacific. Jackson played in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl against Florida, but did not have any receptions.
1994 (Redshirt)
A scholarship athlete, Jackson redshirted his first year in Lincoln.
Before Nebraska (Damien High School)
A tight end for Coach Dick Larson, Jackson played in just seven games in his senior season due to a knee strain. He still caught 18 passes for 238 yards and four touchdowns. He was named to the Best in the West List by the Long Beach Press-Telegram. Jackson also played basketball, averaging 10 points and 10 rebounds per game as a starter. He took official visits to Oklahoma, UCLA and Arizona before choosing Nebraska. Jackson was also the MVP of his swimming team in 1991 and the MVP of his basketball team in 1991-92.
Personal
The son of Frances Easton, Sheldon was born July 24, 1976. Sheldon majored in psychology and earned his bachelor's degree from Nebraska in May of 1999.
Jackson's Career Statistics
| Receiving | ||||||
| Year | Games | No. | Yds. | Y/R | Y/G | TDs |
| 1995 | 10/0 | 6 | 52 | 8.7 | 5.2 | 2 |
| 1996 | 12/2 | 4 | 48 | 12.0 | 4.0 | 2 |
| 1997 | 12/1 | 11 | 189 | 17.2 | 15.8 | 2 |
| 1998 | 12/12 | 19 | 343 | 18.1 | 28.6 | 4 |
| Totals | 46/15 | 40 | 632 | 15.8 | 13.7 | 10 |
1996 Fiesta Bowl vs. Florida: Receiving, None
1996 Orange Bowl vs. Virginia Tech: Receiving 1-11
1998 Orange Bowl vs. Tennessee: Receiving 4-56
1998 Holiday Bowl vs. Arizona: Receiving, None