Drake Jackson turned heads in the 49ers' 2023 season opener on Sunday, but not as many as Dallas Cowboys star linebacker Micah Parsons would like.
The two-time Pro Bowler shared some surprising praise for Dallas' divisional rival, and believes Jackson's three-sack game in the 49ers' 30-7 Week 1 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers deserves more attention.
"A guy that no one's talking about. Drake Jackson. He had three sacks. Why is no one talking about Drake Jackson?" Parsons said on "The Edge with Micah Parsons." "We talking about pass rushers, it's always good to talk about me and all the other prolific guys, Maxx Crosby. It goes back to last year, [Steelers defensive lineman] Alex Highsmith. Alex Highsmith had [14.5] sacks and no one talked about him. He held it down when T.J. Watt was down with injury, and he dominated. And he got extended, but no one talks about Alex Highsmith. I thought he had a great year and was a dominant pass rusher last year.
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"So don't let these guys that get thrown in that sunlight because [Jackson]'s surrounding guys like Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, and guys like that because they're loaded with such a great team. I think he's a person I'm going to have to look out for."
San Francisco selected Jackson in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He got off to a decent start as a rookie but then fell out of his spot in the defensive line rotation. He was inactive for five of the 49ers' final six weeks, including all three playoff games.
But he entered the offseason ready to turn the page and live up to his expectations.
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And so far, he's holding up his end of the bargain. His three sacks on Sunday -- in one game -- matched his rookie-season sack total.
It's early, but if the second-year pro can sustain his Week 1 success or something close, the 49ers' defense can be even more dangerous than already anticipated.
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