One of the San Francisco 49ers’ former top draft picks is determined not to be overlooked amid the team’s dramatic offseason overhaul along the defensive line. The 49ers moved on from veterans Javon Hargrave, Maliek Collins, and Leonard Floyd, replacing them with three selections from the 2025 NFL Draft—Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins, and CJ West.
The moves reflect San Francisco’s commitment to getting younger and more cost-efficient in the trenches, an approach the team hopes will lead to sustained success.
The selection of Williams marked the first time since 2022 that the 49ers used their top draft pick on a defensive lineman. That year, they selected defensive end Drake Jackson in the second round, as they did not own a first-round pick.
So far, Jackson has struggled to meet expectations. He last played in 2023, appearing in eight games before landing on injured reserve. He spent 2024 on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list after undergoing knee surgery the previous year.
Through 23 career appearances, the defensive lineman has totaled six sacks.
Now fully healthy, Jackson (6-4, 273) is confident he can make an impact in 2025. He even took to Instagram to confidently declare, “Y’all crazy if y’all don’t think I’m [wreaking] havoc on that field this year!”
Whether Jackson can back up that claim remains to be seen. But if he can, it would be a major boost to a 49ers pass rush that recorded just 37 total sacks last season. Only eight teams recorded fewer.
“It’s been a tough injury … those quad tendon repairs,” general manager John Lynch said in February. “And that’s why you’ve got to really think long and hard before you have that [surgery] because it doesn’t just make it go away. … I guess Drake has had—not setbacks—but just trouble coming back from it.
“So, it’s not been the most encouraging thing. Hopefully, it takes a turn for the positive because we’ve seen, Drake, when he’s healthy, he can be a real effective player for us. So, we’re crossing our fingers and putting in all the work, as is Drake, that that happens.
Jackson is entering the final year of his rookie contract and carries a $1.9 million cap hit in 2025. This season will be pivotal in shaping the future of his NFL career.