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It was amazing for new San Francisco 49ers defensive end
Drake Jackson to hear his name called on Friday night during the second day of the 2022 NFL Draft. His new teammate, Arik Armstead, announced the pick.
Even more amazing for the 21-year-old defender was having several of his new 49ers teammates, including Armstead and
Nick Bosa, immediately reach out to him.
"It's crazy. I talked to both of them," Jackson said Wednesday morning on KNBR's
Murph & Mac show. "Nick Bosa texted me. Arik Armstead FaceTimed me right after. ... Trey Lance had called me. Emmanuel Moseley hit me up. I was astounded. I'm like, 'Damn, this is crazy.' Everybody hitting me up off the team, but they're kind of like legends too. I'm fanboying, but I've got to be professional at the same time."
Jackson wasn't sure the 49ers would draft him. He was hoping for it, though. The defender didn't have much contact with the team until closer to the draft. His 30-player visit came late in the evaluation process.
Jackson to the 49ers may have been destiny, though. He was born and raised in Southern California, and half his family is 49ers fans. He calls being able to stay on the West Coast a "blessed situation."
Among the biggest 49ers fans in his family is his grandmother, Anita Davis.
"It's so wild that this happened because she's been manifesting this since I was in high school," Jackson shared. "She seen a 49ers jersey that had 99 on it, and it had my last name on it. Ever since then, she said, 'That was a sign. I already know you're going to the 49ers.' Ever since the draft started, she was always wishing on the 49ers. ... As soon as it was time, it was just destiny."
While Jackson is expected to eventually fill the Dee Ford role that the 49ers had once envisioned, the young defensive lineman believes he is versatile enough to play anywhere.
"You can put me anywhere on the front line, and I'm going to get after them and try to make a play," Jackson said. "It doesn't really matter where I was on the field. As long as I was on the field, I'm always just trying to be around the ball, and making plays, and keeping the quarterback unsafe."
Jackson also feels confident in his ability to defend against the run.
"I love stuffing the run," he said. "It's the same thing. It's making a play. Making a TFL is almost like making a sack, in a way. It's the best way to make a play in the backfield. We always said, 'Party in the backfield.' That's where I'm trying to be at."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Jackson below.
The decision to trade up in the 2021 NFL Draft and select quarterback Trey Lance could have had significant consequences for general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. With the team lacking first-round picks in the last two drafts due to this move, and Lance no longer on the roster after being traded to the Dallas Cowboys before last season, it's clear the gamble didn't unfold as expected.
Lynch held his annual pre-draft press conference on Monday, reflecting on the decision to take such a big chance on Lance. While such a bold move might have jeopardized jobs elsewhere, Lynch and Shanahan were blessed with some good fortune in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Acknowledging the support of the team's ownership, Lynch stated, "They believe in Kyle and I, and our
Numerous NFL teams reportedly reached out to the San Francisco 49ers before and during the draft to inquire about the team's star wide receivers, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Josina Anderson of CBS Sports reports that the New England Patriots were among the teams that had "preliminary trade discussions" about Samuel.
"In general, when teams explore potential transactions with other clubs, finding middle ground on compensation can be challenging," wrote Anderson. "There are always many considerable factors on why the price should possibly be one thing, or another."
I'm told the
NFL Communications has officially announced the "NFL legends and active players" who will announce selections during Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft. Representing the San Francisco 49ers will be former defensive tackle Anthony "Spice" Adams, who spent four seasons with the team and nine in the NFL.
San Francisco selected Adams out of Penn State in the second round (No. 57 overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft.
The NFL's full announcement is below.
In the NFL's continuous effort to connect the game's greats with the next generation of stars, NFL Legends and active players will add to the excitement of the 2024 NFL Draft by announcing various selections and participating in festivities in Detroit.
Pro Football Hall of Famers Isaac
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
