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Jam Jackson and Ja'son Prevard Ready to Step Up in Virginia's Secondary 

Aidan Baller

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After two seasons at Robert Morris, Jam Jackson transferred to Virginia, instantly rising to stardom as he garnered the Hoos' 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. Last Fall, Jackson registered 58 tackles, good for third on the team, and six pass deflections, second only to the graduated Kempton Shine. With Shine and others having exhausted their eligibility, the UVA secondary room has some significant holes to fill.

"I just gotta come every day with a work attitude," said Jam Jackson when asked about stepping into a veteran role with the departure of Shine. "You know, from week in, week out, I gotta be the top of the line. I gotta be the standard of the team."

In need of a replacement for Shine, the Cavaliers looked to the transfer portal, nabbing the commitment of Ja'son Prevard from Morgan State. In his first two seasons of collegiate football, Prevard recorded a total of eight pass deflections and two interceptions and has worked hard over the last few months transitioning from FCS to ACC football. 

"It's been a learning experience. But I feel like I'm a great learner, and I pick up on things fast. So the process has been pretty good," said Ja'son Prevard. 

Prevard is now roommates with Jackson, creating a helpful bond for Prevard as he makes this transition.

"You do see the bond. It's good because you've seen some maturity from Jam Jackson in terms of doing the extra things," said UVA defensive backs coach Curome Cox on the relationship between Prevard and Jackson. 

This spring, the two have made targets to improve, with Jackson focused on press coverage as the lockdown corner Virginia desires. At the same time, Prevard looks to improve his mental game by being able to diagnose formations faster, as he's experimented with the nickel position in addition to the corner. 

"One skill I look to add during the fall is recognizing formations faster, and now I'm in the box, so playing better on the run game," said Prevard. 

Despite the learning, Prevard and Jackson have had to be mindful of their health as the defensive back room is relatively thin this spring. 

"Taking one day at a time, of course, it's gonna be more reps put on your body," said Jackson. "I wouldn't say it's a good thing, but it's giving the younger guys more reps. Just in case one of the older guys goes down again." 

"It's building versatility," said Cox about having a light defensive back group this spring. "Spring ball is not about winning the drill, it's not about winning the day, it's about improving, and fundamentals are fundamentals, so we are able to focus on that." 

Jackson has emphasized the importance of spring football as the season looms closer each day. 

"We got limited practice during the spring, so we have to make these days count," said Jackson. "Man, every day, we got to come in and work. We're chasing our best; we're not chasing the best of other people; you know, we're chasing our best as individuals to get better. And we got to just come and show that every day."

With spring football coming to a close on April 12th, Jackson and Prevard will look to continue to improve. On the other hand, their lack of depth behind them opens the possibility for additions to their position group via the spring transfer portal that opens on April 16th. 

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Aidan Baller
AIDAN BALLER

Aidan has been writing for Virginia Cavaliers On SI since January of 2023 and covers UVA football, basketball, men's soccer, and men's lacrosse. He is from New York and is currently in his fourth year at the University of Virginia, enrolled in the M.S. in Accounting program.