Bo attended McAdory High School where he played baseball and was the running back of the school's football team. In his senior year, he rushed for 1,175 yards and also hit 20 home runs in 25 games.
In 1982 Bo was drafted by the New York Yankees in the second round, but wanted to attend Auburn University on a football scholarship. He became an excellent athlete in both football and baseball.
While at Auburn he rushed for 4,303 career yards, which was the fourth best in SEC history. He finished his career with an SEC record of 6.6 yards a carry.
For his performance in 1985 Jackson was awarded the Heisman Trophy, in what was considered the closest margin of victory ever in the history of the award. Jackson's number 34 was officially retired at Auburn in a halftime ceremony on October 31, 1992. He was also ranked eighth on ESPN's list of Top 25 Players in College Football History.
In 1986, Bo was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in the New Orleans Superdome, where he impressed everyone with the best verifiable time in history: a 4.12 second 40-yard dash. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted him as the first overall pick.
Not wanting Jackson to hurt himself playing baseball at Auburn, the Bucs took Jackson on a private plane that cost him his college eligibility. They also gave him an ultimatum to choose baseball or football. He didn't sign with the Bucs, but instead signed with the Kansas City Royals.
He spent most of his rookie season playing for the Memphis Chicks in the minors before being called up in 1987, but didn't show his true potential until 1989. He was a starter in the All-Star game and was named MVP for offense and defense.
In his first at bat in his first All-Star game, Jackson...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
