University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt's Dane Jackson Selected by the Buffalo Bills in 2020 NFL Draft
4/25/2020 8:00:00 PM | Football
PITTSBURGH—All-Atlantic Coast Conference cornerback Dane Jackson became the latest University of Pittsburgh football player to be chosen in the NFL Draft when the Buffalo Bills selected him on Saturday.
Jackson (Coraopolis, Pa./Cornell/Quaker Valley) was taken by the Bills in the seventh round with the 239th overall pick, extending Pitt's streak to six consecutive years with at least one NFL Draft selection.
A Pittsburgh area native who started 41 games in his collegiate career with the Panthers, Jackson became the third defensive back coached by Pat Narduzzi to be drafted.
Jordan Whitehead and Avonte Maddox were both selected in the 2018 NFL Draft and have become regular starters for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively.
"The Bills got themselves a steal," Narduzzi said. "Dane Jackson is as good as any cornerback I've ever coached. Dane was not only a playmaker for us, but he also became an impactful leader as a senior captain. He showed on the field this past season, as well as at the Senior Bowl, that he's a disruptive corner and a big-time competitor."
Jackson is seventh Pitt football player to be selected by the Buffalo Bills in the NFL Draft and the first since quarterback Nathan Peterman was taken in the fifth round in 2017.
Voted a Pitt team captain in 2019, Jackson finished his Pitt career with 148 total tackles in 50 games, recording four interceptions and 43 passes defended along with 9.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Jackson scored two defensive touchdowns for the Panthers, returning an interception 20 yards for a score in a win against Syracuse in 2016 and also returning a fumble 35 yards to the end zone in an overtime victory against the Orange at Heinz Field in 2018.
He was a stand-out performer during the week of practices leading up to the Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., and participated in the NFL Combine in Indianapolis as well.
With the 2020 NFL Draft complete, a few other Panthers signed undrafted free-agent contracts over the weekend.
Wide receiver Maurice Ffrench was picked up by the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. As a senior in 2019, Ffrench set Pitt's record for receptions in a season by compiling 96 catches for 850 yards with four TDs. The versatile Ffrench scored via reception, rush and kickoff return during his collegiate career for a total of 16 touchdowns.
Linebacker Kylan Johnson, a graduate transfer from Florida who earned Honorable Mention All-ACC honors after an impressive campaign for Pitt's nationally ranked defense, inked a deal with the Miami Dolphins. Johnson recorded 54 total tackles with 10.5 TFLs, 6.5 sacks and two forced fumbles last fall.
Tight end Nakia Griffin-Stewart, who also played for Pitt in 2019 as a graduate transfer from Rutgers, announced that he has signed for the Minnesota Vikings. Griffin-Stewart caught 19 passes for 185 yards with one touchdown in his single season with the Panthers.
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Jackson (Coraopolis, Pa./Cornell/Quaker Valley) was taken by the Bills in the seventh round with the 239th overall pick, extending Pitt's streak to six consecutive years with at least one NFL Draft selection.
A Pittsburgh area native who started 41 games in his collegiate career with the Panthers, Jackson became the third defensive back coached by Pat Narduzzi to be drafted.
Jordan Whitehead and Avonte Maddox were both selected in the 2018 NFL Draft and have become regular starters for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively.
"The Bills got themselves a steal," Narduzzi said. "Dane Jackson is as good as any cornerback I've ever coached. Dane was not only a playmaker for us, but he also became an impactful leader as a senior captain. He showed on the field this past season, as well as at the Senior Bowl, that he's a disruptive corner and a big-time competitor."
Jackson is seventh Pitt football player to be selected by the Buffalo Bills in the NFL Draft and the first since quarterback Nathan Peterman was taken in the fifth round in 2017.
Voted a Pitt team captain in 2019, Jackson finished his Pitt career with 148 total tackles in 50 games, recording four interceptions and 43 passes defended along with 9.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Jackson scored two defensive touchdowns for the Panthers, returning an interception 20 yards for a score in a win against Syracuse in 2016 and also returning a fumble 35 yards to the end zone in an overtime victory against the Orange at Heinz Field in 2018.
He was a stand-out performer during the week of practices leading up to the Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., and participated in the NFL Combine in Indianapolis as well.
With the 2020 NFL Draft complete, a few other Panthers signed undrafted free-agent contracts over the weekend.
Wide receiver Maurice Ffrench was picked up by the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. As a senior in 2019, Ffrench set Pitt's record for receptions in a season by compiling 96 catches for 850 yards with four TDs. The versatile Ffrench scored via reception, rush and kickoff return during his collegiate career for a total of 16 touchdowns.
Linebacker Kylan Johnson, a graduate transfer from Florida who earned Honorable Mention All-ACC honors after an impressive campaign for Pitt's nationally ranked defense, inked a deal with the Miami Dolphins. Johnson recorded 54 total tackles with 10.5 TFLs, 6.5 sacks and two forced fumbles last fall.
Tight end Nakia Griffin-Stewart, who also played for Pitt in 2019 as a graduate transfer from Rutgers, announced that he has signed for the Minnesota Vikings. Griffin-Stewart caught 19 passes for 185 yards with one touchdown in his single season with the Panthers.
#H2P | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
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