Players Mentioned
Austin Jackson Picked in First Round of 2020 NFL Draft By Miami Dolphins
April 23, 2020 | Football, Features
Jackson is USC's 510th all-time NFL draftee, the most of any school. He also is USC's 82nd first rounder, second most behind Ohio State. He continues Troy's streak of having a draftee every year since 1939.
He is the first Trojan chosen by the Dolphins since wide receiver Patrick Turner in 2009 and the first in the first round by Miami since guard Roy Foster in 1982. He also is the third USC offensive tackle drafted in the past 4 years, along with Zach Banner in 2017 and Chuma Edoga in 2019. He is USC's highest drafted offensive tackle since Matt Kalil was the No. 4 pick in 2012.
We're so proud of you, Austin.@MiamiDolphins, you got a good one!#USCtotheNFL | #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/L7hpwhsoh1
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) April 24, 2020
Jackson started the past 2 seasons (2018-19) at left tackle for USC, earning All-Pac-12 first team honors this past season as a junior. He appeared in 39 career games, with 25 starts.
He was a bone marrow donor in July of 2019 for his younger sister, Autumn, who suffers from Diamond-Blackfin anemia, a rare blood disorder that leads to severe anemia.
His grandfather, Melvin Jackson, was an offensive tackle at USC, where he played on the Trojans' 1974 national championship team and won the team's Lineman of the Year Award in 1975, and then played 5 years (1976-80) with the Green Bay Packers after being their 12th round pick in the 1976 NFL Draft.
The 2020 NFL Draft continues with the second and third rounds on Friday (April 24) and then concludes with the fourth through seventh rounds on Saturday (April 25).
Team Reactions
Head coach Clay Helton
Congratulations @ChocoDro! #TrojanMade #USCtotheNFL #FightOn pic.twitter.com/RChUogiBAo
— Clay Helton (@USCCoachHelton) April 24, 2020
Offensive line coach Tim Drevno
Congratulations @ChocoDro ✌🏼💯 Miami got a great player and even better young man! If you don't grind, you don't shine! ✌🏼🙌🏼 Fight On! #USCtotheNFL #1stRounder #PROjan https://t.co/bGTkxny6Mr
— Tim Drevno (@CoachDrev) April 24, 2020
Offensive coordinator Graham Harrell
Love it! Couldn't have happened to better young man! Go be great @ChocoDro! #FightOn✌️ https://t.co/asLKwCegYu
— Graham Harrell (@CoachHarrellUSC) April 24, 2020
Offensive lineman Jalen McKenzie
UNTOLD:BRUH WOULD GRAB US AFTER PRACTICE LIKE NAW WE STAYIN OUT HERE...LETS GET SOME MORE SETS IN RIGHT QUICK.. TRUE LEADER TRUE FRIEND YESSIR 73 CARRYING ON THE LEGACY YO NAME UP IN THE MEETING ROOM😭😭😭 https://t.co/d1VaSl4ocE
— Jalen Mckenzie 💥 (@pcBjaypeez_) April 24, 2020
Offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker
FINS UP!!!
— Alijah Vera-Tucker (@ALIJAHVT) April 24, 2020
Quarterback Kedon Slovis
Congrats to the desert dawg himself! Miami got a good one in @ChocoDro #USCtotheNFL pic.twitter.com/Ga3bxELQ13
— Kedon Slovis (@Kedonslovis) April 24, 2020
Tailback Markese Stepp
Yeesssss sir Fins Up!! ✌🏾🐬
— Markese Stepp (@markese_stepp) April 24, 2020
Head strength coach Aaron Ausmus
Congrats @ChocoDro on being the man. 18th Overall pick. BIG MEN SET THE TEMPO. @USC_FB #fighton #nfldraft pic.twitter.com/Ph6AbHUMP8
— Double A (@Aaron_Ausmus) April 24, 2020
Ok I'm back AUSTIN JACKSON to the @MiamiDolphins fight on! ✌🏽 @USC_Athletics @USCCoachHelton
— Mark Sanchez (@Mark_Sanchez) April 24, 2020
