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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
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
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his
