Rookie minicamp a wake-up call for new faces
SANTA CLARA >> Once Drake Jackson showed up at his new job Friday, he wandered through one of the rarest of office parks and became spellbound.
His role: defensive end for the 49ers, who held their first practice of rookie minicamp Friday.
His home office: Levi's Stadium.
“I was just walking through the halls and had to call my dad,” Jackson said. “This is crazy. Just to be standing right here, in San Fran, I can't really explain it.” He's here to rush the passer and complement a sturdy front line, thus meriting the 49ers' top selection in the draft two weeks ago (second round, No. 61 overall).
“It's a beautiful, blessed feeling, man,” Jackson added. “Twenty-one years of life, doing everything I did, just for this. It's crazy. Each and every minute, every second, it's `Who would have thought?' “
On draft day, among those welcoming him to the team was fellow defensive end Nick Bosa, who is coming off his third season and a career-high 151/2 sacks.
Jackson, in an ideal capacity, would serve as the 49ers' speed-rushing complement on the other side of the line from Bosa, similar to how Dee Ford was at his peak in 2019.
“Every play, it's a hunt. I just want to be part of that pack, to go hunt with my boys,” said Jackson, who'll
wear No. 95 after suiting up at USC as No. 99, a number tattooed onto his left forearm.
Jackson's genuine gratitude is an ideal trait for a rookie minicamp. Here are four other things we learned from other rookies the past days:
Championship credentials
Running back Ty Davis-Price (third round) said right away he's here to help the 49ers win a Super Bowl. Championship expectations? Dang right. After all, he won college football's national championship at LSU in 2019 as a freshman backup.
“I've been a champion all levels of my life, and in high school,” said Davis-Price, who attended Southern Lab High in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. “That's what I expect so I'm excited to come be a part of that.”
Davis-Price added that he won track titles in high school, too, clocking a 100-meter dash in 10.6 seconds while over 230 pounds. He plans to play at 220 to 222 pounds as a 49ers rookie, and his style reflects how the 49ers will take on more of a powerrunning persona.
“I just love contact. Defenders, they don't want that,” Davis-Price said.
Gray's busy day
Wide receiver Danny Gray caught four passes in team drills during Friday's minicamp practice — after an earlier drop — and it's not just his 4.33 speed that is obvious. He's muscular-defined legs come with a smooth stride, even when racing back to the huddle. He did so with a white towel dangling from his left hip that brought back memories of Jerry Rice's “Flash 80” days.
Asked if he's ready to catch passes from strongarmed Trey Lance, Gray referenced how well he fared in a March workout in Dallas with Colin Kaepernick, stating: “He kind of has like a bazooka, too. That workout was pretty great so I think I'm up for the task. ... My impression of working out with a Super Bowl quarterback, a great quarterback at that, it was a surreal moment for me, really. He was a great dude. He's a legend in my book.”
Gray said he won't shy away from physical contact, noting: “No block, no rock.” True, and if there's no rock (ball) coming his way, he still better block.
Burford's humility
OK, it was weird, maybe even wrong, to see Joe Staley's former No. 74 on a rookie. Then again, these numbers aren't permanent. Offensive lineman Spencer Burford, a fourth-round draft pick, is who donned Staley's old digits. Staley certainly would appreciate Burford's outlook on life.
“I'm a nobody, but I'm a somebody at the same time,” said Burford, who stayed home for college to help bolster Texas-San Antonio's program. “I'm not bigger than anybody that's in this room. I'm a genuine person. I like genuine love, too.
“I feel like being the best version of yourself is being genuine. You don't have to treat people ugly now that you're on a different platform. I have to carry myself a certain way. But I don't have to belittle somebody at the same time.”
New QB on block
Brock Purdy put a nice zip on the ball with accuracy, including a few of those passes that Gray caught in traffic.
“I've met Trey Lance and Nate Sudfeld, and they've just been welcoming me with open arms and they've been great guys, so far,” said Purdy, who hadn't yet met incumbent starter Jimmy Garoppolo. “I'm excited to get in the room and learn from them and compete.”
Purdy was the 262nd and final pick of the draft, meaning he'll serve as this year's “Mr. Irrelevant” events in Newport Beach. He's awaiting further details on the “four-day process of having fun.”