EAGAN, Minn. — Maybe you're unfamiliar with Dontavion Jackson's game.

That's all right. Unless you're the ultimate Minnesota Vikings diehard or generally fond of rabbit-holing an NFL roster, there's no friendly pressure or expectation to be aware of someone flying under the radar.

Anywho, here's the SparkNotes:

Jackson was on the Vikings practice squad in 2024. He habitually won Scout Team Player of the Week honors for adroitly emulating opposing wide receivers and giving first-team defenders a legitimate look.

Jackson was an 11^th-round pick in the 2023 XFL Draft. He was a top performer that season, tallying 36 catches for 573 yards and five touchdowns. His breakout in the now-defunct spring league (the XFL merged with the USFL and began playing last year as the UFL) resulted in a chance to live out his dreams. He signed with Minnesota's practice squad that fall and later on debuted, and appeared in three games.

Jackson, also, goes by an alternative first name given by his mom that has stuck like glue since birth.

"Most people that know me, know me as Lucky," he quipped.

So it's OK if you weren't aboard the Jackson train yet. Its wheels are whistling at the departing gate.

"I never take any rep for granted just because I've been on the other side of this thing, so I know if there's a day that I don't come to work, where things can lead to," the 28-year-old wide receiver shared with Vikings.com Tuesday afternoon. "I take pride in what I do and I never take a day for granted."

Recently, those reps, those days, have been a little more front and center.

The household name in Minnesota's receivers room, Justin Jefferson, is dealing with a mild hamstring strain that's stopped his participation for most of training camp. Jackson has filled in to pick up the slack.

"When a guy goes down, you never want there to really be a drop-off, and we all know that, so we just come to work," said Jackson, adding the group's high standards have accounted for Jefferson's absence.

With Jefferson on the mend, Jackson has tried on the All-Pro wide receiver's megadolon-sized shoes. And, amazingly, they haven't slipped off. In several sessions without "Jets," Jackson has turned in an array of nice catches, even hitting the jets and tracking a go ball for a pretty touchdown on the final rep of a drill Monday that pitted receivers against cornerbacks, imitating a game-like mano-a-mano matchup.

Lightning — er, Lucky — struck twice, actually, pulling in a punctual deep ball from J.J. McCarthy in a similar part of the grid (up the left sideline) that arrived before Theo Jackson intercepted or swatted it.

They're the types of reps that symbolize Lucky's resolve to be a playmaker.

"I take pride in winning at the line of scrimmage and then just going up and making those 50-50 ball catches," he said. "I'm just making the plays that come to me, being where I'm supposed to be when I'm supposed to be there, and honestly, just continuing to stack the days and focusing on being consistent."

Head Coach Kevin O'Connell cracked an approving smile Tuesday when a reporter asked about Jackson – and noted his presence in Jefferson's stead is a testament to receivers coach Keenan McCardell, assistant receivers coach Tony Sorrentino and Vikings Offensive Coordinator Wes Phillips believing in him.

"I think it shows a lot that he can step in for [Jefferson] in many ways and take the positional reps that Justin would be taking. I think it says a lot about 'Kee' and Tony's trust in him, [along with] Wes, myself. But this is a guy that does everything the right way," O'Connell said. "[He's] doing everything in his control to become the best player he can become. It just happens to be in a very deep receivers room."

Pro Bowl cornerback Byron Murphy, Jr., lit up as well when asked about Jackson and called him "my dog."

"That's one of my favorite receivers we have on this team," Murphy said. "He's one of the hardest workers. He's one of the receivers – you know when you line up, you know he's gonna give you some stuff off the line, all those things; very detailed in his routes. So I'd just say he's a very special receiver."

Murphy is on the opposite end of the production spectrum, but his respect for Jackson isn't unfounded.

Although the receiver has appeared in only three career games – and mainly on special teams (Jackson logged one offensive snap in each of the final three contests of the 2023 slate) – he's competed versus Murphy and other starters for a couple seasons now and has impressed them with his lunchpail mindset.

That's why Murphy is proud watching Jackson thrive, even at the Vikings defense's expense.

"Man, it just shows he's one of the guys," the cornerback said. "That work just shows when he goes out there, starting with the ones, out there making plays. Obviously, we don't want that on the defensive side, but we just know, 'OK, Lucky Jack, when he's in there, he's one of the guys we've got to look for.'"

Beyond extra shine on his reps, Jackson stated this year is different from his first two.

He's made physical leaps, absolutely, but his biggest strides are mental – and they're helping him play fast. He said he has a "better understanding of what our offensive scheme is and what's expected of us."

Special Teams Coordinator Matt Daniels reminded Wednesday that "this isn't an easy offense to learn."

Daniels said Jackson, going into Year 3 now, is beginning to take off and grasp the timing and decision-making of the quarterback. He's also doing better working edges on cornerbacks and reading defenses.

"That's really what allowed Lucky Jack's game to truly improve," Daniels said. "This guy is probably one of the hardest-working guys in the building, day-in, day-out. Everybody's got a story and he's got a unique one, just the way that he got onto our team, how he's managed to stick around and be a guy I'm excited about in this training camp. And we'll continue to see if he can make a way to have an impact."

Jackson's "way" starts with the next rep; that's his focus.

"I'm not really worrying about where I'm at position-wise and just continuing to hone my craft," Jackson added, emphasizing his commitment to the process. "I've got a strict routine that I follow, a regimen that my body responds to, and I'm just being as consistent as possible with that, and it leads to good results."

Soon, Jackson's focus will be parlaying practice momentum into a quintessential preseason. And if he manages that, he could wind up the darling of training camp – and increase his odds of making the team, which would likely bump down his favorite football memory and make room for another awesome one.

"There was nothing like [signing with Minnesota]. I couldn't even express the feelings walking back to the hotel, getting ready to call my family and let them know what I had done," Jackson recalled how far he's already come. "And just continuing to be here, showing up to work every day, man, it's a blessing."

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