Virtually all conventional wisdom suggested that Northwestern running back Justin Jackson should have declared for the NFL draft after his junior season.
Jackson finished 2016 as the leading rusher in the Big Ten, completing his third straight 1,000-yard campaign. He put an exclamation point on the year with a 224-yard, three-touchdown performance in a New Era Pinstripe Bowl victory over Pitt. Given the short shelf life for running backs at the next level, Jackson's heavy college workload pointed toward an early exit.
Instead, he's back in Evanston this spring, going through workouts with the Wildcats and preparing for his senior season.