Former Oregon Ducks CB and Minnesota Vikings rookie Khyree Jackson dies in car crash

The Oregon Ducks family suffered a tragic loss with the death of former Minnesota Vikings standout cornerback and rookie Khyree Jackson following a car accident Friday night.

He was 24 years old.

According to police, Jackson was killed along with his two former high school teammates, Isaiah Hazel and Anthony Lytton Jr., in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.

According to Maryland State Police, Jackson was a passenger in the car that was struck by another vehicle at high speed. All three occupants of the vehicle were killed. Two other vehicles were involved in the crash, in which no other injuries were reported.

The report continues: “Investigators believe alcohol may have been a contributing factor in the accident.”

Following the news of his death, Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah released a statement.

“The loss of Khyree breaks my heart,” said Adofo-Mensah. “As we got to know him leading up to the draft, it was clear what goals Khyree wanted to achieve both professionally and personally. His story was one of resilience. He took steps to become the best version of himself, not only for himself, but for those who cared about him and looked up to him. Khyree’s personality captured every room he was in. I am devastated that his life and everything he had ahead of him was cut so short. My thoughts are with Khyree’s family and friends, those who played with and coached him in college, and his teammates and coaches here at the Vikings.”

Oregon football coach Dan Lanning shared his thoughts on his former player on social media Saturday morning.

“RIP Khyree…” Lanning said. “I love you @Real_Khyree and I’m at a loss for words. I’ll miss your smile. Great player, better person.”

Jackson, who was selected by the Vikings with the eighth overall pick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, came to Oregon as a transfer and began his career at Fort Scott Community College in Kansas. He then transferred to East Mississippi Community College before joining the Alabama Crimson Tide for two seasons.

During his time in Tuscaloosa, Jackson appeared in 21 games.

Jackson eventually landed with the Ducks for the 2023 season, where he appeared in 12 games and made 34 tackles, including five tackles for loss and two sacks, as well as two interceptions and seven pass deflections.

In his only season with the Ducks, Jackson was named First-Team All-Pac-12 by the coaches and First-Team All-Pac-12 by the Associated Press.