Justin Jackson, who rewrote Northwestern's rushing record book across four seasons in Evanston, will be inducted into the university's Athletics Hall of Fame as part of the 2026 class.

Northwestern Athletics announced the eight-member class on Thursday, July 23. The induction ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, at the new Ryan Field.

Jackson's numbers still define the program's standard for durability and production. He finished his career (2014–2017) with 5,440 rushing yards on 1,142 carries, 41 rushing touchdowns, and 6,298 all-purpose yards.

All four are program records.

He added 121 receptions for 848 receiving yards, giving him 42 total touchdowns as a Wildcat.

Jackson became just the second player in Big Ten history, after Wisconsin's Ron Dayne, to rush for 1,000 yards in four consecutive seasons. Only eight other players in FBS history had done it. His career rushing total ranks third all-time in Big Ten history.

Jackson's peak came in 2016, when he led the conference with 1,524 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, earned First Team All-Big Ten honors, and capped the season by rushing for 224 yards and three scores to win MVP of Northwestern's Pinstripe Bowl victory over No. 23 Pittsburgh. He earned All-Big Ten recognition in all four seasons.

Off the field, Jackson majored in economics, earned Academic All-Big Ten honors, and was a finalist for the 2017 William V. Campbell Trophy, known as the "Academic Heisman."

A Carol Stream native who attended Glenbard North High School, Jackson ranks sixth all-time in IHSA history for career rushing yards (6,531) and was a two-time Gatorade Illinois High School Football Player of the Year. The Los Angeles Chargers selected him in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He played five professional seasons with the Chargers and Detroit Lions before retiring in August 2023.

Jackson joins a 2026 class that includes basketball's Drew Crawford, soccer's Lauren Clem, golfers Hannah Kim and David Lipsky, swimmer Jordan Wilimovsky, coach Sharon Drysdale, and honorary inductee Pat Ryan Jr. The group will be honored together at Ryan Field on October 24, the first Hall of Fame ceremony at the rebuilt stadium on Northwestern's Evanston campus.