Day 1 of the NFL Draft was boring for 49ers fans.
The team didn’t have any draft picks until Friday night at No. 61, which fell near the end of the second round. At long last, the 49ers were on clock and they used their first selection of 2022 to pick USC edge rusher Drake Jackson. For the full list of 49ers picks, visit NFL.com.
"It felt like I walked outside of my body almost," Jackson said of getting the call from the 49ers. "I couldn't believe it. My whole life was dedicated for this moment. Everything's been ball, I've never done anything else. It's always been ball. I've always done things I needed to do to get into this place."
Jackson measured in at 6-foot-3, 254 pounds at the NFL combine and had 37 tackles, eight tackles for loss and five sacks last year for the Trojans. His weight has fluctuated from 245 to 270 at USC, but he previously told reporters he feels most comfortable around 265.
Given the Niners depth on the defensive line and needs in other places – like the offensive line or secondary – it appears general manager John Lynch and his staff drafted the best player available on their board. The pick was announced by d-line cornerstone Arik Armstead, who anchors the unit along with newly-extended defensive end Nick Bosa.
Jackson is known as a quick-twitching edge rusher. Check out Jackson’s highlights from USC:
Jackson told reporters he can't wait to get to work with Bosa, who racked up 15.5 sacks in the regular season last year and is the franchise leader in playoff sacks.
"I hope he's excited to be my teammate, as excited as I am," Jackson said. "As soon as I get out there I might try to find him and get a handshake from him, working out, something. I'm itching to get in there and get the knowledge."
The rookie is also eager to learn from defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, who he called a "legend." Other edge rushers currently on the Niners include Dee Ford, Samson Ebukam and versatile reserves like Kerry Hyder Jr. and Jordan Willis.
Jackson is proud of his USC connections and celebrated draft day by getting an icy replica of the LA Coliseum to drape around his neck. Fellow Trojans alum and current 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga is someone Jackson used to look up to.
"Before I came in, Talanoa was one of the top guys at my school," Jackson said. "Just one of those guys who has those work ethics you look at and go, 'Man, I kinda get got like that.' As a freshman, I looked up to him, for sure. He was a dog and I wanted to be a dog."
