Vikings rookie CB Khyree Jackson amongst 3 killed in crash

Minnesota Vikings rookie cornerback Khyree Jackson and two former school soccer gamers have been killed in a automobile crash in a single day, in accordance with Maryland State Police. Jackson was 24.

Jackson died after a three-car crash that occurred at 3:14 a.m. Saturday in Prince George’s County, in accordance with police. Isaiah Hazel and Anthony Lytton Jr. — the 2 former gamers who have been highschool teammates of Jackson’s — have been additionally killed within the crash, police stated.

Hazel, 23, performed at Maryland and Charlotte, whereas Lytton, 24, performed at Florida State and Penn State.

Police stated Hazel was driving a Dodge Charger with Jackson within the passenger seat when their automobile was struck by an Infiniti Q50 making an attempt to vary lanes at a excessive velocity. The Charger left the highway and struck a number of tree stumps.

Based on police, Jackson and Hazel have been pronounced useless on the scene, whereas Lytton was transported to a hospital earlier than being pronounced useless by hospital personnel.

Neither the motive force of the Infiniti Q50 nor her two passengers or the motive force of the third automobile was injured. Investigators consider alcohol might have performed a job within the crash, police stated, including that costs are pending.

Jackson was chosen by the Vikings within the fourth spherical of this 12 months’s draft and had been thought of a contender to start out at cornerback.

“We’re devastated by the information of Khyree Jackson’s demise following an in a single day automobile accident,” the Vikings stated in a press release. “Our ideas are with Khyree’s household, buddies, teammates and coaches, in addition to all of the victims of this tragic accident.”

Jackson performed his closing season of faculty soccer at Oregon, and Geese coach Dan Lanning was amongst these paying tribute to Jackson on social media.

RIP Khyree… Love you @Real_Khyree confused. I’ll miss your smile. Nice participant higher particular person.

— Dan Lanning (@CoachDanLanning) July 6, 2024

Alabama mourns the lack of former student-athlete Khyree Jackson. Our ideas and prayers are together with his household and buddies. pic.twitter.com/eHeZGFpqHb

— Alabama Soccer (@AlabamaFTBL) July 6, 2024

Maryland and Charlotte coach Biff Poggi each mourned Hazel’s demise on social media, as did Penn State for Lytton.

Jackson was an all-Pac-12 first-team choice for Oregon in 2023. Earlier than becoming a member of the Geese, he performed two seasons at Alabama beneath coach Nick Saban.

“I’m completely crushed by this information,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell stated in a press release. “Khyree introduced a contagious vitality to our facility and our staff. His confidence and fascinating persona instantly drew his teammates to him. In our quick time collectively, it was evident Khyree was going to grow to be an incredible skilled soccer participant, however what was extra spectacular was his need to change into the most effective particular person he could possibly be for his household and people round him. I’m confused. My coronary heart goes out to Khyree’s household, buddies, teammates and coaches.”

Jackson grew to become an immediate favourite amongst Vikings followers after he described his lengthy journey from highschool to the NFL draft. Chatting with Minnesota reporters after the draft, he stated he was a non-qualifier after graduating from Sensible Excessive Faculty in Maryland in 2017. He frolicked at three junior schools whereas taking two seasons away from the sport earlier than touchdown at Alabama in 2021.

Throughout that interim, he stated, he labored within the deli at a Harris Teeter grocery retailer and at one level received an award for worker of the month. “I advised my mother and one time limit, ‘I assume I am about to be working at a grocery retailer,'” Jackson stated. Later he gave critical thought to becoming a member of the NBA 2K league.

“Once I ended up leaving my first junior school,” he stated, “I used to be house for about six months, however I advised my buddies that I used to be nonetheless at school. I stayed at my home for six straight months and no person knew. It was type of consuming away at me, after which I lastly simply finally advised my buddies. That second actually advised me, like, man, if I used to be embarrassed to even inform them, I’d need to get out and attempt to do it once more as an alternative of sitting right here and sulking.”

Of his journey to Energy 5 soccer and finally the NFL, Jackson stated he had no regrets.

“I would not change it for the world, although,” he stated. “I really feel prefer it taught me numerous perseverance. It helped flip me into the person that I’m at this time. I really feel like I do not take no shortcuts. I take every little thing for what it’s and do not actually query too many issues. I really feel like that mentality got here from juco and being on the backside and seeing what it is prefer to not have something to having every little thing going to a number of the high packages.”

Data from ESPN’s Kevin Seifert was used on this report.