Diamond In The Rough: Roy Thomas Jackson III

Franklin High School’s, Roy Thomas Jackson III like many young men shares a passion for football and aspires to play in the NFL. Located in the small town of Franklin, Louisiana, Roy brings much attention to Franklin High School’s football team. Having to overcome adversity at a young age with close family deaths, he turned to football as his constructive outlet. This young man’s drive and determination are commendable. Therefore, he never misses a game and always goes the extra mile. When asked why does he play football, Roy said he plays for his mother, his brother and his family in general. With a leveled head, he is a great asset to any team he plays for when on and off of the field. As a middle linebacker, Roy has been known to pack a powerful hit, after sending another player to the hospital with his power, he earned the nickname of “freight train”.  As a junior, he had over 100 tackles, 5 sacks, 6 tackles for loss and 2 forced fumbles. Roy’s mindset going into his senior year is to give it his all, be goal driven and to constantly seek growth. After meeting Roy, I can confidently say that he will accomplish his short term goals of getting faster and gaining more sacks in this upcoming season.

Roy is 6’3” and weighs 212 pounds. He bench presses 275 lbs, squats 365 lbs and deadlifts 475 lbs.

Roy was 1^st team All-District in 2016 for Franklin High School. In the previous season, his athleticism and skills allowed him to be 2^nd team all-district vouching for his hard work and pushing to be better. He also excels as a track and field team member, in which he placed in state this past year for throwing the shot put and the discus.

Here’s the link to Hudl:

http://www.hudl.com/video/3/4755108/5851ab8cb534591650e56c14

Roy is 18 years old and will be entering his senior year of high school this upcoming fall. He currently maintains a 3.0 GPA and wants to go to college to get a degree in business with the ultimate goal of owning his own company someday. He said, he wishes to be his own boss. I asked what college does he want to play for, Roy said he is keeping an open mind and has no preference when it comes to what college he wants to attend. However, he wants to play for a college that has his best interest in mind and where he can steadily progress.

The “freight train” does not just show up and show out on the field. Roy is a mentor to other athletes like himself and his younger brother. If you do not find Roy in the gym doing workouts on his off days, you might also find him volunteering as a firefighter. He also loves entertaining and lighting up the grill to feed his fellow teammates.

“I think he is a raw version of Keke Mingo” said Andy Bryson.

When I asked who is his favorite player, Roy immediately answered Ray Lewis. He said, “I like that he is relatable and that is a key when you come up like I did. He has such a dominant force about him and is very motivational. In my pregame warmups, I enjoy watching his videos and listening to him speak to get pumped up for whatever lies ahead of me.”

 

Roy Thomas Jackson III

Instagram: @_.freight_train55

Email: Ro***********@ya***.com