The Denver Broncos have eyed Jordan Jackson since he starred at Air Force, roughly 53 miles south of Empower Field at Mile High.
Three years later, the Broncos have officially made Jackson a member of the team’s 53-man roster.
“We were going to draft him, but the Saints took him,” Broncos general manager George Paton said. “So, we monitored him and then obviously were able to get him on our roster.
“I love the way he goes about his business. Smart. Tough. Athletic. I think he can keep getting better."
Here's the Broncos' initial 53-man roster for 2024 season
Jordan, now a 6-foot-4, 294-pound defensive tackle – up from about 280 pounds when he played at Air Force, primarily as a defensive end – closed his preseason with two sacks against Arizona on Sunday. He found out Tuesday he had made the team.
The news differed for Air Force’s other three graduates in NFL camps. The Las Vegas Raiders placed safety Trey Taylor on injured reserve (knee). Taylor, who was drafted this past April in the seventh round, will be eligible to join the active roster after four games. If he returns and is added to the roster at that point, his debut would come against the Broncos.
The Minnesota Vikings waived outside linebacker Bo Richter after a strong showing that included two sacks and three tackles for loss. Richter will likely be added to the Vikings practice squad if another team doesn’t claim him.
The Broncos waived linebacker Alec Mock on Tuesday.
Taylor, Richter and Mock were all seniors for Air Force last year. Taylor and Richter graduated in December, Mock in May.
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“Unbelievable in terms of the opportunity that they’ve earned,” said Air Force coach Troy Calhoun, a former NFL offensive coordinator.
While Richter and Taylor likely have football ahead of them, Mock is something of a question mark at this point.
“I’ve still got to believe Alec’s going to have a shot somewhere,” Calhoun said. “He’s still a really, really young guy. He came in direct. His body, I’d love to see where Alec Mock is two years from now, physically. That’s why you hope he can latch on with somebody.”
Jackson waited his two years and is now a full-fledged member of the Broncos defense.
He was drafted in the sixth round by the Saints in 2022, then spent the 2022 season on New Orleans’ practice squad and the 2023 campaign on Denver's practice squad.
Calhoun looks at Jackson, still somewhat new to his current role on the defensive front, and sees a player who has grown quicker and stronger since starring for the Falcons.
The Broncos, who have long been admirers, felt the same way.
“He's been athletic, he could always rush, and now he's gotten stronger playing with better leverage,” Paton said. “Learning the defense more. He really fits what Vance (Joseph) is doing up front. He got better really each and every preseason game. Then, obviously, he finished with a bang.”
Note: Kicker Anders Carlson, a Colorado Springs native and graduate of The Classical Academy, was cut Tuesday by the Green Bay Packers following an up-and-down rookie season in 2023.
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