Khyree Jackson was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings during the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft in April. He was selected as a cornerback for the team, with their first preseason game set for August. The Vikings released a statement after the news of the athlete’s death, which read: “We are devastated by the news of Khyree Jackson’s death following an overnight car accident. […] Our thoughts are with Khyree’s family, friends, teammates and coaches, as well as all the victims of this tragic accident.” Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell also said, “In our short time together, it was evident Khyree was going to develop into a tremendous professional football player, but what was more impressive was his desire to become the best person he could be for his family and those around him.”
Before being drafted into the NFL, Jackson played for the University of Oregon in his senior year of college. The Oregon Ducks Head Coach Dan Lanning shared on X, formerly Twitter, “I will miss your smile. Great player better person.” Prior to being a part of the Oregon Ducks, Jackson was also a member of the University of Alabama’s football team from 2021 to 2022.
Jackson worked hard to get where he was, and was proud of that. After the NFL Draft, he shared on Instagram a serious of photos from his life, saying, “I guess the saying ‘life is what you make it’ really means exactly what it reads. I got up off my a** and took what I deserved.”
