Jackson walked on to the basketball team at Hillsborough Community College as a redshirt-freshman.[1] As a sophomore, Jackson averaged 13.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.[citation needed] He transferred to North Carolina A&T after coach Willie Jones noticed him at a camp and reviewed his footage from Hillsborough.[1] He averaged 7.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game as a junior.[citation needed] On February 17, 2020, Jackson scored a career-high 28 points and collected eight rebounds in a 77–60 win over North Carolina Central.[3] As a senior, Jackson averaged 15.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, earning first-team All-MEAC honors.[2] He was named MEAC defensive player of the week on two occasions, and finished second in the conference with 15 double-doubles during his senior season.[4]
Jackson is the son of Ronald and Ellen Jackson. His father served in the United States Marine Corps for 21 years, and his mother was also in the Corps.[1] Jackson's grandmother died from cancer in October 2013. His mother died from multiple sclerosis in 2016.[2]