Saban, Alabama thank 'great leader' Eddie Jackson

Alabama is showing how much it has appreciated having Eddie Jackson wear the uniform.

The senior safety has likely played his last collegiate game after suffering a fractured leg during Saturday's win over No. 6 Texas A&M, and thanked those who wished him well in the immediate aftermath of his injury.

Several members of the Alabama family, including head coach Nick Saban, expressed how much he's meant to the Crimson Tide.

"Eddie was a fantastic player for us, a great leader and I think an All-American player at safety, at least in my book," Saban said, according to Marq Burnett of SEC Country. "We're certainly going to miss him. What a great player, what a great competitor, and what a great guy to have in this program for the time he's been here."

Cornerback Marlon Humphrey commended Jackson for his leadership and impact in the locker room.

"As a team, him and Reuben (Foster) are like the generals of the whole defense," Humphrey said. "When we had that players-only meeting, Eddie was the one that called it up. When we're playing bad, we go to Eddie. When we're playing good, we go to Eddie."

Star defensive lineman Jonathan Allen added that while the loss of his teammate to injury is upsetting, the show must go on.

"Sad, man. I'm going to pray for him. It's sad. He's like a brother," Allen said. "Seeing your brother go down, that's sad. But he's a soldier, so he's going to fight through it. It's next man up, but you can't replace that."

Defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick echoed Humphrey's statements, finding motivation in the challenge of Jackson's injury.

"We all kind of took leadership roles in the secondary, but Eddie was the one who took over," Fitzpatrick said. "Now it's our turn to step up and show him how we can do."