3:14 am July 6. It was at this moment that a crash saw a draft-day promise going unfulfilled: “You got the best corner, by far. Imma show you, day one.” No stranger to challenges after having to drop out of a community college in Arizona, cutting meat and cashing checks in a deli at his home state, and facing a suspension in Alabama, he kept at it to return to the gridiron. But fate had other plans for Khyree Jackson that ended a tumultuous journey, just 66 days before his NFL dreams could be realized.

The Vikings’ third pick for 2024 after J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner, Khyree Jackson died in a car crash in the early hours of Saturday in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The tragedy also claimed the lives of the CB’s former high school teammates Isaiah Hazel (who was in the driver’s seat) and Anthony Lytton Jr. The accident report by Maryland State Police investigators painted a grim picture.

The report suggested that alcohol may have contributed to the accident in which an Infiniti, allegedly speeding, attempted to change lanes and struck the Dodge Charger carrying Jackson and his friends. The impact sent their vehicle off-road, where it hit multiple tree stumps before coming to a halt.

Just hours before the crash, Jackson had posted on Instagram, captioning nine photos with a simple “Mmmhmmm.” The images showcased his life’s journey, from beach vacations to Vikings training sessions. One striking photo featured a surfer riding a massive wave, captioned “Doers,” while onlookers were labeled “Dreamers.” Indeed, in retrospect, it was a poignant reflection of Jackson’s path from dreamer to NFL doer.

Talking about the accident, ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio said, “It really is a horrific tragedy. It’s one of the things that NFL coaches dread during this down time between the conclusion of offseason workouts and training camp, getting that phone call in the middle of the night that something has happened to one of your players, Kevin O Connell endured that, early this morning.”

“But I think compounding it for the Vikings is they really had high hopes for Khyree Jackson. I think…the fact that he came in and he had a personality that took over the room, the teammates took to him quickly, it’s gonna be harder for them to process this and move forward […]”

HC “KOC” seemed to have a similar sentiment regarding the impact Jackson had during his limited time on the Purple, Gold, and White.

Jackson’s road to the pros was anything but smooth. While others won on-field accolades, Jackson was moderately happy winning employee of the month at Harris Teeter supermarket. “At one point I wasn’t really thinking about football much,” he said in a video shared by the Vikings on April 28.

Just hours before he became the Vikings’ third pick after JJ McCarthy and Dallas Turner, Jackson was in a mall, clothes shopping and having a chat with the store managers. Khyree immediately picked up his phone, FaceTime-ing his mother to check whether his family was watching Dave Kellogg making the announcement. Soon after, a proud two-time Maryland State champion headed home to celebrate his perseverance that would never bear on-field results.

Khyree Jackson’s school journey began at Springbrook High in Silver Spring, before he jumped base to Dr. Henry Wise in the middle of his sophomore year and won two state awards. After a broken collarbone that affected his junior season, Jackson came back stronger totaling 39 catches for 612 yards and 12 touchdowns as a wide receiver. After a break from football, he played for Greyhound Greats at Fort Scott.

From there, a stint at Alabama followed, from where he transferred to the University of Oregon. It was here that he established himself as a future NFL prospect. He led Oregon with three interceptions while recording 34 total tackles (25 solo), including 5.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. His three interceptions tied for second-most in the Pac-12. Soon, the Vikings came calling.

Noted others in the football community poured their condolences after the loss of such a promising star.

More than just a great player, Khyree’s smile and personality remembered fondly

General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah echoed this sentiment, “His personality captured every room he was in. I’m devastated that his life and everything that he had in front of him has been cut short.”

Vikings owners Mark and Zygi Wilf also expressed condolences in a statement. “We are deeply saddened by the news of Khyree’s passing. Khyree had an extremely bright future ahead of him as a player, and it was clear he was dedicated to being a tremendous person who made a positive difference in people’s lives.”

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning also tweeted, “RIP Khyree… Love you @Real_Khyree. at a loss for words. I will miss your smile. Great player better person.”

The team continues to mourn this loss while thinking about what Jackson could have done here. As the Vikings prepare for the upcoming season, they’ll carry the memory of a young man whose dream was cut tragically short, but whose spirit will undoubtedly inspire those he left behind.