Adam Schefter names the player who will become a surprise 1st-round pick
Mar 4, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Southern California linebacker Drake Jackson (LB19) talks to the media during the 2022 NFL Combine. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The first round of the 2022 NFL Draft is coming up on Thursday night, and there is one player being mentioned as a potential surprise to go on the first night.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted on Wednesday that former USC pass rusher Drake Jackson is likely to be a surprise first-round pick. The prediction apparently was shared to Jackson by several NFL teams.
Each year, unexpected players sneak into round one. One possibility this year is USC pass rusher Drake Jackson, whose agent Drew Rosenhaus said that “multiple teams” predicted to him Wednesday that Jackson – who had 15 top 30 visits – “would be a surprise first-round pick.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 28, 2022
Jackson had six sacks for USC last season and 13 sacks overall during his college career. He was listed at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds but put on 15 pounds while preparing for the NFL Combine.
Jackson is rated by Pro Football Network as the No. 61 overall prospect and 10th-best edge rusher in the draft. That helps explain why it would be a surprise for him to go in the first round.
In addition to his 13 career sacks, Jackson had 103 career tackles and two interceptions for the Trojans.
