Nick Jackson Awarded Slater Golden Gavel

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- University of Iowa senior linebacker Nick Jackson is the recipient of the 2024 Duke Slater Golden Gavel Award, which was voted upon by a group of Iowa media members who cover the program on a regular basis.

In the closest vote in the award’s history, Jackson, an Atlanta native, is the fourth winner of the annual honor. He joins inaugural winner Kaevon Merriweather (2021), Spencer Petras (2022) and fellow teammate Jay Higgins (2023) among Golden Gavel recipients.

By description, “The Golden Gavel will go to the Iowa football player, who not only is most cooperative with local media, but exhibits themself with professional integrity in all interactions.”

“Only one vote separated Nick Jackson from an equally deserving candidate,” said Scott Dochterman, a sportswriter with The Athletic who presented Jackson with the Golden Gavel. “In addition, seven players received nominations, and another was three shy of tying Jackson. The final tally shows the depth of character on Iowa’s football roster and the professionalism they display in public settings.

“Media members noted Jackson’s candor and class in interviews -- no matter the subject matter -- along with his genuine personality among the reasons why he stood out as this year’s Golden Gavel winner.”

The award is named after Duke Slater, a former Iowa All-American tackle who was a charter member of the College Football Hall of Fame in 1953 and a 2020 inductee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Slater earned his law degree from the University of Iowa while playing in the NFL, and he became the first African-American elected to the Cook County Superior Court. The playing surface at Kinnick Stadium was renamed Duke Slater Field in summer 2021.