With their first selection of the 2022 NFL Draft, the 49ers took USC defensive end Drake Jackson with the No. 61 overall pick.
By drafting Jackson, the 49ers addressed one of their biggest needs, adding a player who could be a bookend with Nick Bosa on the defensive line.
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The 49ers were in need of help on the defensive line after Arden Key signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars during free agency. General manager John Lynch said at the NFL Annual Meetings in March that the team doesn't see Dee Ford playing for them in 2022.
In 17 games over two seasons with USC, Jackson recorded 66 total tackles and 7.5 sacks. He had one interception and one forced fumble.
The 21-year-old Jackson, who stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 254 pounds, took a pre-draft visit with the 49ers.
ESPN NFL Draft analyst Steve Muench provided this scouting report on Jackson:
"Jackson flashes an effective dip-and-rip move, shows good torso flexibility working through contact at the top of the arc and closes well rushing the passer," Muench wrote. "He has active hands and will mix in an inside move. He shoots his hands and stacks tight ends, but he has a lean lower body and is not as effective taking on offensive tackles."
San Francisco 49ers
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The 49ers didn't own a 2022 first-round draft pick after using it last year to trade up in the 2021 NFL Draft in order to select quarterback Trey Lance.
San Francisco currently has two more Day 2 draft picks, both third-round selections.