Drake Jackson pick continues to look worse and worse for 49ers

Drake Jackson hasn't done much since the 49ers drafted him in 2022, and the latest injury news is painting him as a complete bust.

Back in 2022 when the San Francisco 49ers used their top pick, a Round 2 selection, on former USC defensive end Drake Jackson, many a draft pundit thought the Niners defense was getting an absolute steal.

Indeed, there were flashes of brilliance in Jackson's first year as a pro. Despite tallying only three sacks his rookie year, the 6-foot-4 edge rusher still managed to swat down eight passes, unusual for anyone but the most disruptive offensive linemen over the course of a full season.

Fans felt the sacks would come, but a lack of proper conditioning led to Jackson flaming out down the stretch and being inactive late in the season and into San Francisco's playoff run that year.

Reconditioned in 2023, Jackson again sparked hope with a three-sack campaign in the 49ers' Week 1 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

However, those would be the only quarterback takedowns Jackson would have all year.

Suffering a knee injury later on in the season, Jackson was subsequently placed on injured reserve and wasn't activated, undergoing surgery this previous offseason and hoping his third year in the NFL would parallel a breakout campaign after two disappointing years.

Well, it's not to be.

Drake Jackson winds up on season-ending injury list, making 49ers look bad

Jackson had been unable to participate in the team's offseason workouts, including training camp, and he started camp on the active/physically unable-to-perform list.

On Friday, however, ESPN's Field Yates reported the Niners were placing him on the reserve equivalent of this list, effectively ending the 23 year old's season before it even began:

Jackson's two years with San Francisco have been unremarkable. The No. 61 overall pick from 2022 has appeared in only 23 regular-season games, had 21 tackles, the six sacks, nine quarterback hits and five tackles for a loss.

Sure, there have been moments of promise. But injuries and inconsistencies have gotten in the way.

With this latest news, it seems more probable than not the 49ers simply move on once he's cleared from injury, wiping their hands from a failed second-round draft investment.

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