Las Vegas Raider OG Jackson Powers-Johnson's Press Conference After Being Picked in the NFL Draft

New Las Vegas Raiders OG Jackson Powers-Johnson addressed the media after the former Maryland Terrapin was seleccted by the Silver and Black in the 2024 NFL Draft in the second round.

HENDERSON, Nev.--The Las Vegas Raiders, under the direction of Tom Telesco, continue to have a terrific 2024 NFL Draft, as they concluded day two, rounds two and three today,

In the second round at pick No. 44 overall, the Raiders followed up yesterday's tremendous pick of Brock Bowers, by stealing Jackson Powers-Johnson, who many teams had a first round grade on.

He spoke after the selection with the media and here is everyhting that he said:

Second-Round Pick (No. 44 Overall) G Jackson Powers-Johnson
Q: When we talked with you at the combine, you talked about how much you enjoyed your time that
you spent with Antonio Pierce. You're a mauler, you play with a nasty streak, you're going to be a guard
with the Raiders. Will you talk about how when you got to meet him you guys were able to talk about
your style?
Powers-Johnson: "When talking to him, just something special for sure. He loves how physical I play, how I finish, my mentality. And I really feel like it fits the Raider franchise and what the Raiders have done in the past and in their history."
Q: I know growing up your family were Raiders fans. I also have heard that your first game was at the
Coliseum. Can you just talk about those memories? And also, how cool was it to be able to play at
Allegiant Stadium in college as well?
Powers-Johnson: "Yeah, just kind of a wrap around, full circle moment. My grandparents are from the
Bay Area, they grew up huge Raiders fans. So, my great grandparents and my grandparents grew up having season tickets for 20 years with the Raiders. Huge Raiders fans there. And then also my first ever game going to 49ers-Raiders, going to that game, first ever NFL game really kind of started the dream for me. And as I said, again, kind of full circle moment. And getting to play at Allegiant Stadium, it was different there. Hopefully going to win a lot more games there. Kind of scored a touchdown there, so definitely a special place for me there and I'm so excited to play there as many Sundays as I can."

Q: They announced you as a guard, so I guess the secret is out. You may move from center to guard,
you've done that at Oregon. Do you feel like that's a transition that's going to be pretty seamless for
you?
Powers-Johnson: "I think it is. My first two years at Oregon were at guard and so I'm just excited.
Anywhere that the Raiders want me to play, I'm going to play. If they want me to throw the ball, I'll throw the ball. But I really think me playing center is going to be seamless and it's just kind of a testament to all the coaches I've had in Oregon and in high school."
Q: Obviously, you have an extensive wrestling background as well. How do you feel like that translates
to your game?
Powers-Johnson: "Wrestling was kind of a huge part of my life. Definitely translates in leverage,
physicality, and also just straight mental toughness. Wrestling is the hardest sport, so me doing that to prepare for football and really getting that mentality from wrestling, it's really huge for me. I always tell young kids or football players coming up through the league that they should wrestle, so it was huge in my life."

Q: If you look back to your recruitment, you don't get the offer from the state school you want. You
come to Oregon and there's a coaching change. Two years ago, you're playing defensive tackle because
they're too thin on the D-line with everyone hurt. Now you're the Rimington Trophy winner and you're
a second-round pick playing for the team that you grew up rooting for. How do you just encapsulate
the last couple of years of your journey?
Powers-Johnson: "Humbling, plain and simple. Humbling. I mean, I've worked so hard, but it's not really
about me. It's all the people that really helped get me here. I was fortunate enough to have all my family
here and every single person that really helped me along my journey. So, an immense amount of gratitude
for the people that helped to get me here, and an immense amount of gratitude for the Raiders
organization, Las Vegas, and Raider Nation. It's huge for me. And the dream has been fulfilled, but now
there's new dreamsto get, and I'm excited to work on it and just kind of a huge deal for me. I'm so excited."

Q: There were some teams that maybe through the media raised questions about your medical history through the process. What is it like hearing people just talk about you and discuss you , and then how are you feeling and how do you think your health is right now?
Powers-Johnson: "I think it's kind of funny just because I had really no health issues, like I had a really
quick day at the combine during like the orthos (exam) and the medical. So, it's kind of funny to kind of
see that. It's not true, I'm 100% healthy, 100% ready to go. I'm feeling great, especially now, but yeah I
think it's just kind of something that kind of itches you a little bit, but it's not true."
Q: I'm curious how much work goes into designing your own burger?
Powers-Johnson: "I mean, it was just a great opportunity. Shout out Elk Horn, they're great people. I
always took my offensive linemen there and I always took all my teammates and recruits there to go eat and just developed a really great relationship with them. And I ended up ordering kind of the same thing, it's kind of like my go-to order there and they kind of turned that into a burger. So, not a ton that goes into it, but definitely fun to make."
Q: You have someone that was an alum at your school in Penei Sewell, and you see his success in the
NFL. How does that help you set a high bar for yourself and what you want to accomplish?
Powers-Johnson: "I've always looked up to Penei [Sewell]. Penei wore number 58 at Oregon, and when I came into Oregon, I was a different number and then I had to change. They gave me the opportunity to pick 58, and when I picked that I kind of went down the path to be just like him. Powers-Johnson: “…so, so much respect for Penei. One of the best tackles in the league. Definitely I'm going to strive to make Oregon proud like he has, and make his family proud like he has, and just really fortunate to have gotten to know him and his family through Oregon, and kind of through Utah high school football. Huge congrats to him.”

Q: We talked on pro day about whether Oregon was ‘Center U’, and now you're the eighth center in
program history to be drafted. You pass Max Unger to be the highest at that position at the school and
it's three straight and four out of five. Do you feel like you guys are able to make that claim now?
Powers-Johnson: “I think we will, but I also think there's a lot of people coming up that's going to be in
this position. What Coach [A’lique] Terry and Coach [Dan] Lanning do at the University of Oregon is second
to none, how they develop guys, and they're definitely going to develop a lot of great centers. But it's a
huge tribute to the people that have come before me. I have to give a huge shout out to Alex [Forsyth],
he's the one that really kind of helped me grow through college, and he's with the Broncos now, kind of a
division rival. I mean, Max, Hroniss [Grasu] thoroughness, all those great centers. I'm just humbled to be
a part of that conversation and everything I do is going to make them proud and make Oregon proud and
represent Oregon until I’m done playing.”

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