#ProTops: Wrapping up the pre-summer moves for Jackson, Martin and more

Lucky Jackson made his name be known in the nation's capital, only one Hilltopper heard his name called in Kansas City but more will fight for roster space this summer.

It was a busy spring for a few of our former Hilltoppers. While the 2023 NFL Draft hoopla was heating up, football was still in full swing even after the Super Bowl festivities. Either way, the newest crop of NFL superstars were on the rise and a few ProTops were in the midst of it all.

More than Luck(y)

It’s been a wild journey for Lucky Jackson since his days on The Hill. He was the leading receiver in his 2019 senior season, amassing 94 receptions for 1,113 yards. By graduation, he held the mark for the second-most receptions in a single season in program history. After graduating WKU with a few accolades, there was no doubt that Jackson would have a fierce drive to compete professionally.

Through the next three football seasons, it’s been a slow process. Jackson was undrafted in 2020 and didn’t receive a single minicamp invite nor an NFL Draft workout. In 2021, he started getting his feet wet professionally by the way of The Spring League, playing for the Blues. In 2022, he spent some time in the Canadian Football League with stops in Winnipeg & Edmonton. However, he was on both rosters for a short period of time and was released by season’s end.

Jackson found a place after being contacted by the XFL regarding being part of their 2023 reboot, placing his name in the league draft. He was selected by the DC Defenders in January.

Since that day, it was all she wrote. Jackson became an instant playmaker for the Defenders. After moving up the depth chart in such a short time, he finally started getting chances to showcase his talent.

By the start of the XFL playoffs at the end of April, the Defenders were the best team in the league, winning all but one of their 10 games. Jackson grew to be a trusted target for quarterback & POTY candidate Jordan Ta’amu. He was the team’s leading receiver, tallying 36 receptions for 573 yards and five touchdowns. He also averaged 57 yards per game.

Even famed wideout Chad Ochocinco gave Lucky his props, manifesting what could happen next.

Despite being the gold standard in the regular season, the Defenders fell to the Arlington Renegades in the XFL Championship earlier this month. Still, Jackson’s hard work did not go unnoticed. He was named to the All-XFL team, alongside former teammate Jahcour Pearson, who led the league in receptions (60), receiving yards (670) and targets (84).

On May 23, Lucky Jackson’s dream finally became a reality. Among other XFL standouts, signing with the Minnesota Vikings.

While he may be at the bottom of the depth chart with a long way to go, this is a perfect situation for Lucky. A chance to line up alongside All-Pro superstar Justin Jefferson hangs in the balance among being part of an offense tailored to his talents.

Martin Joins the Pride

Brodric Martin was the lone ProTop to be drafted this past year, being selected by the Detroit Lions in the third round with the 96th overall pick, making him the fifth-highest selection in Hilltopper history.

While his draftibility was in question, the timing was seen as odd, as many draft experts pegged him as a later-round pick.

Nonetheless, it was a great landing spot for the defensive tackle as he is expected to make an early impact on the Lions depth chart.

After starting his career at North Alabama where he played 25 games over the span of 2017-2020, Martin transferred to WKU and spent the last two seasons in Bowling Green. He played in all 24 games & was named to the C-USA Honorable Mention team after finishing the 2022 season with 32 tackles, 1.5 sacks, & seven quarterback pressures.

He was invited to the East-West Shrine Bowl which etched his name on draft boards following the game appearance. The 6’5”, 330-pound defensive tackle won scouts over with his ability to clog up rushing attempts and move past the line of scrimmage with overwhelming force.

Opportunity Knocks

While only Martin heard his named call, he was far from the only former Topper to see his NFL drams be reached.

Kahlef Hallassie was one of the first former Tops to land somewhere on the undrafted free agent journey after not being selected during the NFL Draft. During his two years in Bowling Green, Hallassie started 26 games at defensive back & was named as a C-USA Second Team representative for 2022. He finished his career with 156 tackles & 4 interceptions.

He was projected as a sixth-round pick according to analysts. At first, it was reported that he was signing with the New York Jets. After not appearing on their training camp roster following the draft, he instead found another landing place with the Kansas City Chiefs, hosted him in the pre-draft process on a Top 30 visit.

Daewood Davis has also signed an UDFA contract, with the Miami Dolphins. In 23 games played over the last two seasons at WKU, he caught 80 receptions for 1,318 yards and 12 touchdowns. The flashy wide receiver will have an opportunity to battle for a roster spot among the fierce tandem of Tyreek Hill & Jaylen Waddle.

He also joins another former Topper who is new to South Beach: Mike White.

Devon Key signed a futures/reserve contract with the Denver Broncos in January. He was previously with the Chiefs & Falcons.

We also would like to acknowledge a couple of former Hilltoppers on their journey of reuniting in Washington DC.

Mitchell Tinsley & Mason Brooks have both signed UDFA deals with the Washington Commanders.

Tinsley was a playmaking receiver who was a two-year starter in Bowling Green from 2020-21. He tallied 1,780 receiving yards with 18 touchdowns during his WKU campaign. In 2022, he transferred to Penn State & was pretty productive during the Nittany Lions’ Rose Bowl-winning season. He finished the year with five touchdowns.

Brooks was a versatile offensive lineman while he was on The Hill. A former starter who also played in 2020-2021, he only allowed a total of six sacks in 26 games before hitting the portal & landing at Ole Miss for 2022. He was able to get some attention from NFL scouts while on limited production for the Rebels.