INDIANAPOLIS — The long and winding road that took Jackson Woodard from a no-star high school recruit to a walk-on at Arkansas to one of the key pieces of UNLV’s football renaissance wasn’t always straightforward.
Sometimes, it didn’t even make much sense.
What never wavered was Woodard’s belief in himself and his trust that surrendering himself to a higher power would ensure everything would work out.
So when the Rebels linebacker took the podium at the NFL scouting combine Wednesday to talk about an unlikely journey that has delivered him to the doorstep of his professional football dreams, it all felt so comfortable and natural.
Even with all the twists and turns.
“It’s been a roller coaster ride,” Woodard said. “I just put my head down, trusted in Him and went to work. And I’m here now.”
Woodard’s extended UNLV family also deserves a major tip of the cap. Former Rebels coach Barry Odom, who was Woodard’s defensive coordinator at Arkansas, convinced Woodard to join him in Las Vegas and be part of a miraculous turnaround that almost culminated with a College Football Playoff berth last year.
“What we were able to do in those two years is really special. And I have a lot of pride in that. And I know my teammates think the same,” Woodard said. “We came in, had no excuses, didn’t ask questions, just went to work. And the hard work led to wins. We created a culture that’s about work. It’s about business.”
Odom, who left UNLV for Purdue at the end of last season, is expected to make the short trip to Indianapolis on Thursday to support Woodard as he meets with NFL teams and prepares to take the field for linebacker workouts.
Woodard said seeing Odom will be “pretty special.” But he still expects to compete with an edge after being overlooked in high school.
“I think I have a chip on my shoulder, and it’s a heavy chip,” Woodard said. “And a lot of that just comes from me. I really don’t care what other people say and never have. Never will. It’ll never make me who I am.”
The focus now turns to the future. Woodard is projected to go somewhere between the fourth and seventh rounds of the NFL draft in April. He could become the first Rebels player selected since center Joe Hawley in 2010. Woodard’s goal at the combine is straightforward.
“I just want to show teams who I am, what I’m about and go and compete,” Woodard said. “Be my best.”
Woodard had 251 tackles, six sacks, five interceptions and two fumble recoveries his two years with the Rebels. UNLV was 20-8 during his time with the program, an incredible feat given the team was 20-46 the six years prior to Woodard and Odom’s arrival.
That led to Woodard being named the Mountain West defensive player of the year last season, the first time a Rebel has won that award in 17 years.
He feels all that success has prepared him for the next step in his career.
“I feel like the last two years I have approached the game and the process of the game like a pro,” Woodard said. “And that’s a testament to how they scheduled everything and allowed us to go about our work.”
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.
