FRISCO, Texas — He might have grown up in California, but his family roots are deep in Youngstown, Ohio.
And he’s a diehard Cleveland Browns fan, too.
Yet, it would mean a great deal for him if the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Alabama cornerback Domani Jackson (6005, 192).
Speaking with Steelers Depot Thursday at the 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl in Dallas, Jackson said donning the Black and Gold would be a full-circle moment for him and his family, particularly his late grandfather.
Jackson’s grandfather died when the former USC and Alabama defensive back was in 8th grade, well before he became one of the most highly recruited players in high school history. The one thing he left Jackson was a Steelers pin, which meant a great deal to Jackson.
Now, on the cusp of an NFL career after two seasons with the Trojans and two seasons with the Crimson Tide that spanned 46 career games, Jackson hopes to hear his name called in Pittsburgh in April. And he would be thrilled to remain in the Steel City afterwards, too.
“I would die crying, honestly,” Jackson said to Steelers Depot about potentially being selected by the Steelers. “It would be a blessing to land with any of the 32 teams, no doubt. But my grandfather and grandmother were diehard Steelers fans, so potentially landing in Pittsburgh would be a full-circle moment for me that would mean so much.”
Growing up in California, the son of a U.S. Marine veteran, Jackson had a tremendous career at Mater Dei. It led to him being a 5-star recruit, one who originally committed to Alabama to play for Nick Saban. But a late change of heart due to a coaching situation at Southern California led to Jackson picking the Trojans.
After two years, 18 games, and four pass breakups, Jackson decided to leave the comforts of home in California. He wound up right back where he originally wanted to be with the Crimson Tide. That transfer was not only a football move to allow him to play in the best conference in the country, the SEC, but it was a chance for Jackson to find himself personally and experience growth off the field.
“Just becoming more of a man, just learning how to do stuff on my own,” Jackson said of the growth off the field in the move to Alabama. “‘Cause California is, I’m an hour away from home. My mom can always be here, my dad can always be there. My sister’s one hour away. They can just drive whenever.”
“But being away from home, you find out a lot about yourself. Like you have to pay the bills, you gotta be [independent]. That was a big factor going into everything.”
Off the field, Jackson found himself and learned how to be that independent person. On the field, Jackson took his game to another level.
In 28 games with the Crimson Tide, Jackson finished with 91 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions, and 12 pass breakups. In a deep, talented secondary, Jackson learned how to prepare properly weekly and matured. He became a dependable piece with the mindset to handle the ups and downs of playing cornerback.
Consistency was an issue in 2025. That’s been some of the feedback he’s received from NFL teams — specifically the New York Jets — during his initial meetings at the Shrine Bowl. Learning how to prepare properly and getting into the mindset to take his work seriously from a football perspective helped put Jackson on the doorstep of achieving his dreams of playing in the NFL.
“Yeah, I could talk about hours with this, but I feel like my daily habits and just my routine, that I approach every single day coming into the facility, which is ultimately my work, that’s where I improved the most,” Jackson said. “I’m not going to BS, this work is what I do for a living. So I’m gonna give it everything I can give, ’cause you never know when your last chance is or your last day is.
“So, I mean, it’s what I’m on earth to do, and I’m gonna give it my all.”
Giving it his all has also included studying New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez to develop his own game. They have similar builds, and Jackson believes his game is very similar to the Patriots’ standout cornerback.
That includes the physicality Gonzalez plays with and the ability to get into and out of breaks cleanly. This allows him to attack the football in coverage.
Jackson didn’t have much production on the ball in his career. But the one interception he had at Alabama in 2024 against Georgia is one of the best plays he’s ever made.
“It was vision zero, Georgia 2024 third down,” Jackson said, recalling the interception. “Carson Beck, he was confused because it was the first time we ever showed that coverage, and the receiver messed up. I got my first interception and the stadium went crazy. That’s probably one of the loudest moments, besides this year when ZB [Zabien Brown] took it back against Tennessee.”
That preparation in the week leading up to the game against Georgia in 2024, and knowing that they’d throw a look at Carson Beck and the Bulldogs, had Jackson in position to make a play. To his credit, he made it.
He needs to show that more in the NFL. But with his measurables, pedigree, and experience, Jackson should have plenty of opportunities.
Hopefully, that can be in Pittsburgh, where the Browns fan can make his late grandfather proud.