Rep. Jonathan Jackson Urges NCAA Athletes to Transfer Schools Over Voting Rights

Congressman Jonathan Jackson says college athletes shouldn't just dominate on Saturdays and Sundays ... they should use their transfer power to fight for civil rights, too.

Jacob caught up with the Rep. from Illinois Friday on Capitol Hill ... where Jackson unloaded on states he believes are rolling back voting rights protections -- and argued athletes should respond by bolting for schools elsewhere.

Watch the video ... Jackson specifically called out Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina, Mississippi and Alabama ... saying if state lawmakers are "going to take African-Americans' voting rights and their representation away," athletes should use freedom of choice and hit the transfer portal.

He didn't stop there, either ... suggesting quarterbacks, wide receivers and star point guards all should consider leaving programs in those states behind: "We fill up the stadiums. Now we need to fill up the voting booths."

Jackson told us he believes college athletes are old enough to take on political responsibility ... arguing they're already treated like adults in every other aspect of life. He also pushed back on the idea that athletes should stay out of politics altogether ... saying players have a responsibility to decide "what side of history they're going to be on."

And according to Jackson, if enough elite athletes transfer out of certain states, the fallout would be immediate ... saying, "The coach, the governor and everyone else will have an emergency meeting."

Jackson even pointed to UCLA running back Mel Farr facing off against Bear Bryant's Alabama squads during the civil rights era ... invoking a period when Black athletes competed against powerhouse Southern schools carried major significance beyond the field.