Alabama's 33-14 win over Texas A&M on Saturday came at a high cost.
Safety Eddie Jackson, who also serves as the team's punt returner, was lost for the season with a fractured leg, Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said after the game.
"I'm just sick for him and his family," Saban said. "It's unfortunate when it happens to a great guy and a very, very good player."
Jackson took to Twitter to thank his fans for their well wishes.
As a senior, Jackson will be available in the 2017 NFL Draft. NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah views Jackson as a "true high safety" prospect with special teams value, and analyst Lance Zierlein expects Jackson to be an NFL starter. Unfortunately for Jackson, he won't be able to provide scouts with any more game film, but he's shown impressive instincts for the position as a second-year starter after spending the first half of his college career at cornerback.
Jackson was injured when he was tackled at the end of a 17-yard punt return, and was carted off the field. He entered the game with 21 tackles on the season, 2.5 for losses, an interception and two pass breakups.
Arizona Cardinals DB Tyrann Mathieu expressed his best wishes for Jackson via Twitter:
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