CARD: Score 2009 Certified Gold Zone ACQUIRED: Ebay, 2020
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Dexter Jackson played WR for Appalachian State and caught 110 passes for 1,848 and 17 TDs over his college career.
A second round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2008.
Saw action in 7 contests as a returner and had 424 yards all purpose yards between kick and punt returns before being replaced in the lineup.
After an ankle injury slowed him in camp, he’d be released in 2009.
Jackson latched onto the Panthers practice squad that year.
In 2011, Dexter was selected by the Virginia Destroyers of the UFL.
Later that year he spent time on and off the roster and practice squad of the New York Jets.
After roughly a 5 year hiatus, he was signed to be the marquee player of the NAL High Country Grizzlies.
Soon thereafter he sued the team for breach of contract and was awarded a financial settlement in court.
NOTES:
Dexter is infamous for making the cover of Sports Illustrated after Appalachian State upset the Michigan Wolverines in 2007. He is not related to DB Dexter Jackson- who also played for the Bucs, and in the UFL.
When the XFL rebooted for 2020, the Renegades really rolled out the red carpet to push the team and the league. They had amazing pre-games with NFL guests. The week that the Roughnecks played the Renegades, Dallas had both Everson Walls and Russell Maryland.
As a season ticket to the Roughnecks I was given complementary tickets to go to a road game against the Renegades. I went and met up with an old friend of mine. It was nice to catch up.
I didn’t have Everson’s Pro Set 1989 Cowboys card which sort of flummoxed me, but at least I got him on his Action Packed set need and this really nice Pro Set 1990 update card of him in his Giants gear.
At the conclusion of his defensive career at Texas A&M, John Roper was considered one of the finest LBs to play at the school.
A member of the famed ‘Wrecking Crew’ during the heyday of the Southwest Conference, Roper played for the Aggies from 1985-’88.
In 1987 he was named the SWC Defensive Player of the Year after notching 104 tackles.
Forced 9 fumbles over college career, and posted back to back 15 sack seasons in 1987 and ’88.
Selected in the second round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.
Saw action in the final 10 games at RLB posting 4.5 sacks, 41 tackles, 6 pass deflections, and 2 interceptions.
Became a fulltime starter in 1991, and responded with 8 sacks and 90 tackles.
After the team converted to a 4-3 in 1993, Roper was traded to the Cowboys (along with Kerry Blackwell and Markus Paul) in exchange for Barry Minter, Vinson Smith, and a 6th round pick.
Saw action in just 3 games, recording 2 sacks and 3 tackles- but would later be cut.
Joined the Philadelphia Eagles for the remainder of the season, but was cut after the season due to salary cap issues.
Roper was at an affordable price point for me, and as he doesn’t sign TTM, I took a flyer on these two set needs. He was a member of the great 1989 NFL Draft, and surprisingly didn’t appear on a card until Pro Set in 1990, despite his accolades at A&M and impact as a situational starter for the Bears early on.
One should wonder how his career would’ve turned out if he wasn’t squeezed out of Chicago to Dallas in a lateral move of defensive styles. It was a curious trade at the time since both defenses applied the same 4-3 system, so he was an odd man out in Dallas as well.
TAC
SAC
FUM
INT
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
N/a
18.0
1
2
46
23.0
0
43
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