Editor’s Note: This article is part of a larger series, Draft Diaries, which will chronicle Jackson Slater’s journey to the NFL Draft.
Jackson Slater and his brother, Luke Slater, were out at Robinswood Park in Bellevue, Washington working on some offensive line drills when Slater’s phone rang.
On the other line was former Sacramento State defensive backs coach and NFL liaison Cherokee Valeria. He was calling to tell Slater the news he had been waiting to hear for weeks.
“I couldn’t tell if he was talking to an agent or a coach, but I saw his face light up,” Luke Slater said.
After three consecutive first-team All-Big Sky and All-American appearances, Slater was invited to the premier destination of the draft cycle, the NFL Combine.
“He’s always been so determined and that invite was what he was working for,” Slater’s mother, Melissa Slater said. “He was thrilled, we were all so thrilled for him.”
That was September, now with the NFL Combine only a couple days away, Slater said his excitement has been joined by some new emotions as well.
“I’m still confident, but the nerves are starting to settle in a bit more as it’s coming up,” Slater said. “Being a small school guy, I feel like a lot of people are looking for any reason to knock me down or not take me with a certain pick.”
RELATED: Draft Diaries: Sac State guard introduces himself to the next level at Senior Bowl
Before the NFL Combine, Pro Football Focus projects Slater as a sixth-round pick, but some media members have Slater graded as high as a potential fourth-round pick.
The former Sac State guard said he’s looking to prove to NFL scouts, head coaches and general managers that he has the athleticism to keep up at the next level.
“There’s a lot of strength stuff of me out there, but I wouldn’t say there is a ton of athleticism out there besides my film,” Slater said. “Being able to go out there and do well at the 40 [yard dash], three cone [drill] and pro agility would be the main goals for me.”
Slater said in addition to wanting to ace those drills, he has personal goals for himself at the event as well.
This event is an opportunity for Slater to raise his draft stock, but offensive line testing drills rarely skyrocket players up boards. They simply aren’t as flashy as wide receivers setting new 40-yard dash records, but that’s the life of an offensive lineman.
It’s not glamorous, fans and coaches ask for near perfection of players or they are quickly out of the league. Slater said when he first picked up football, he didn’t imagine himself as an offensive lineman at all.
“I played flag football with my friends and played more of a tight end role,” Slater said with a smile. “I thought I was the next Gronk.”
Once Slater got to high school, he said he never got to show off his hands and instead opted for interior defensive line and offensive line. He said that those who play offensive line for as long as he has begun to build an appreciation for the position.
“It’s the ultimate team position, you’re a part of a group of five,” Slater said. “Understanding that you’re the root of a successful offense, makes me love the position even more.”
Slater’s parents will be attending the NFL Combine to watch him run offensive line drills on Sunday. Melissa Slater said that following Slater’s pre-draft experience has been surreal.
“I’ve always been a parent that talked about backup plans… more of a realist than maybe Jackson would like at times,” Melissa Slater said. “At this point, it’s ‘Alright I’ll never say never to anything.’”
The NFL Combine begins this Thursday and Slater’s test day will be Sunday with drills starting at 10 a.m. PST.
