Drake Jackson left Friday night's preseason game against the Green Bay Packers with a shoulder stinger. He was back on the practice field on Sunday, as the team prepares to travel to Minnesota for joint practices with the Vikings. Reporters noticed Jackson wasn't at 100 percent during the Sunday session, but the good news is that things are trending upwards for the defensive lineman's health.
"It feels good," Jackson said of his shoulder after practice. "Just taking it day by day. It's getting better each and every day, rehabbing it, and things of that sort."
Despite the early exit, Jackson loved getting into his first NFL game action.
"It felt good," he said. "It felt like I'm back, back on the field. I missed playing football since 'SC. It's been a long time since I've been able to be in a game like that."
Jackson's athleticism, especially considering his size, has impressed teammates. The defensive end said he's hovering around 260 pounds right now, and that's where he expects to stay this season. The 49ers hope the rookie can grow into the bookend opposite Nick Bosa that the team once envisioned for Dee Ford. Jackson still has a lot to learn, though, and he has two of the best in the game to educate him.
One of those players is pass-rushing phenom Nick Bosa.
"Each day, I'm watching him, I'm behind him in the line, trying to figure out what's going on," Jackson admitted. "Really, I just take what he has and turn it into something for me. That way, I'll take maybe one of his swipes and maybe I'll make it into my swipe, in a way. So just kind of learning off of him. And not just him. All the other guys that are above me. They're vets and they've been doing things the right way, and they've been in the league more than a year or so. They have time under their belt, so just being able to get anything off of them is good."
Jackson isn't just learning from his defensive teammates, though. He has the benefit of occasionally going against one of the best offensive tackles in the game in Trent Williams, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and first-team All-Pro.
"He's one of the best in the league, so just pretty much going to him, asking him questions on what I can do better," Jackson shared. "And I know that can make me better because he's blocking me. ... It is challenging [going against him in practice] but I look at it as a learning experience every time because he's one of the best. I go back in film and see each and every step I can do, what I can do to actually beat him. If someone beats Trent Williams, they can have fun in the league."
