Drake Jackson has largely failed to make much of an impact after two years casting doubts on whether or not the 49ers continue to invest in him.
In each of his first two seasons at the NFL level, defensive end Drake Jackson managed to provide periodic flashes that suggested the San Francisco 49ers had an up-and-coming pass-rusher who could be a legitimate defensive standout.
After the Niners made Jackson their top pick of the 2022 draft, taken in Round 2 at No. 61 overall out of USC, the rookie showed positive signs by batting down eight passes at the line of scrimmage while tallying three sacks.
However, a lack of conditioning ultimately led to the pass-rusher grinding to a halt toward the end of year one, and he remained inactive for two of San Francisco's final three regular-season games and was also inactive during the team's postseason run that year.
Then, entering 2023, Jackson appeared to have turned a page, showing up to training camp in noticeably better shape.
He started off the regular season with a bang, too, notching three sacks against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1.
Turns out, though, those would be the only sacks the 6-foot-4 and 273-pound edge defender would tally in 2024.
|
Year |
Games |
Tackles |
TFL |
QB Hits |
Sacks |
Passes Defended |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2022 |
15 |
14 |
3 |
6 |
3 |
8 |
|
2023 |
8 |
7 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
The 49ers subsequently placed Jackson on injured reserve halfway through the season after eight games played, doubling down on thoughts of long-term upgrades by trading for pass-rushers Randy Gregory and Chase Young while opting not to elevate Jackson off of IR for yet another playoff push.
Even though both Gregory and Young departed via free agency, Jackson's future is murky after yet more transactions that cast shadows on his future in the Bay Area.
Drake Jackson is running out of chances with 49ers
Entering the third year of his original four-year deal signed after being drafted, Jackson is under more pressure than ever before.
The Niners added two other pass-rushers via free agency during the offseason, Yetur Gross-Matos and Leonard Floyd, to pair with All-Pro Nick Bosa. And they'll look to deploy second-year pro Robert Beal Jr. on a more consistent basis, too, creating a bleaker outlook for Jackson's chances of having a substantial role.
