Former Mustang Asa Jackson living a dream during Super Bowl week

Posted: Jan 29, 2013 5:21 PM by Andrew Masuda
Updated: Jan 29, 2013 9:05 PM

Former Mustang Asa Jackson thrilled to be playing in Super Bowl with Ravens

For the second year in a row, a former Cal Poly All-American is playing in the Super Bowl. Last year, Ramses Barden won a ring with the New York Giants. Asa Jackson hopes to do the same Sunday with the Baltimore Ravens.

Media day for the San Francisco 49ers and Ravens was on Tuesday in the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. Players from both teams were on hand, including Jackson.

He has endured an up-and-down rookie season since Baltimore selected him in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He played in three regular season games and made one tackle. But then he was suspended for four games without pay for violating the NFL's performance enhancing drug policy. Baltimore media reported he tested positive for unauthorized use of the prescription drug Adderall.

Asa returned from the suspension and played in the playoffs against Denver. But he injured his thigh in the game and it kept him out of the AFC Championship Game against New England.

Jackson says he is ready to play Sunday and excited to be preparing for the Super Bowl.

"It has been a roller coaster. Oviously every rookie goes through the ups and downs of getting adjusted to the NFL. But I'm here at the Super Bowl. So I mean the ups definitely outweigh the downs and I'm just blessed and fortunate to be on a team that takes their job so seriously and it brought us here," said Jackson.

Jackson hope to join Barden, John Madden, LeCharls McDnaiel, Mel Kaufman and Chris Thomas as former Mustangs with Super Bowl rings. Madden led the Oakland Raiders to a championship in 1977. Kaufman was a member of the Washington Redskins when they won Super Bowl titles in 1982,1983 and 1987. McDaniels played with Kaufman on the 1982 team. Thomas won a ring with the St. Louis Rams during Super Bowl 34.

St. Joseph High graduates Mark Brunell and Tom Rehder also won Super Bowl rings. Brunell was the back-up quarterback for the 2010 Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints. Rehder was a lineman for the 1990 World Champion New York Giants.