Iowa football: Iowa's Josh Jackson joins Green Bay Packers as second-rounder

After more than 24 hours in the green room, Josh Jackson finally took the stage at Friday night’s NFL draft inside AT&T Stadium as a second-round pick.

The all-American cornerback from Iowa was chosen No. 45 overall by the Green Bay Packers, becoming the second-highest-drafted Hawkeye defensive back of the Kirk Ferentz era. (Bob Sanders, No. 44 overall to the Indianapolis Colts in 2004, still holds that distinction.)

Jackson stormed onto the national scene as a redshirt junior, his first season as a college starter. The 6-foot, 196-pound native of Corinth, Texas, hauled in eight interceptions — many in spectacular fashion, including a one-handed grab in Iowa’s historic 55-24 rout of then-No. 3 Ohio State on Nov. 4.

Jackson had three interceptions against the Buckeyes, ruining their College Football Playoff hopes, then had two pick-six interceptions the following week at Wisconsin.

Jackson was considered one of the top play-making defenders in this year’s draft, but still found himself slipping into the middle of the second round despite most analysts projecting him to go in Thursday night's first round.

He joins a Packers franchise that is loading up on defensive backs; it scooped up Florida State corner Jaire Alexander in Thursday's first round.