Minnesota Vikings cornerback Khyree Jackson dies in car crash in Maryland

The three men played for coach DaLawn Parrish and won multiple state championships as Parrish built a dynasty at Wise, winning 43 consecutive games and three state titles from 2015 to 2018. When Parrish stepped down in January after winning six titles, Jackson, Lytton and Hazel all showed up to a surprise party for the outgoing coach, Parrish said Saturday.

“Outstanding young men,” Parrish said. “Hardworking, very caring. All three of them will always be a part of my life. As they told me, these young men helped me grow as a coach and as a man. I will always miss them, always love them, if nothing else I am glad they were together at the end.”

“I am absolutely devastated by this news,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Khyree brought an infectious energy to our facility and team… My condolences go out to Khyree’s family, friends, teammates and coaches.

The crash happened around 3:14 a.m. on northbound Route 4 near Presidential Parkway. The three men were riding in a Dodge Charger driven by Hazel when the Charger and another car were struck by an Infiniti Q50 that changed lanes while traveling at a high rate of speed, police said.

The Charger left Route 4 and struck several tree stumps before coming to a stop, police said. Police would not say whether the three were wearing seat belts. The driver of the Infiniti, identified by police as a woman from Upper Marlboro, and her two passengers were not injured. The driver of the other car was also not injured.

Jackson and Hazel were pronounced dead at the scene and Lytton was taken to hospital, where he later died.

State police said investigators believe alcohol may have been a contributing factor in the crash. No charges were filed Saturday.

Lytton played collegiately at Florida State University and Penn State, and Hazel played at the University of Maryland and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Jackson had a more winding journey through college, playing at two small colleges and taking a year off from football.

In a video on X, Jackson said he worked in the deli department at a Harris Teeter grocery store and won the “Employee of the Month” award. “I didn’t really think about football that much,” he said. Jackson said he tried to go pro by playing the video game NBA 2K, but “I had a vague idea about football for a while, I would say that for sure.”

Jackson was asked why he returned to football, and he said, “Two of my good friends, they were four- and five-star (recruits),” Jackson said, “they were both D-1. They motivated me.”

Jackson returned to football and eventually enrolled at Alabama, where he played cornerback for two seasons and started in the national championship game. He transferred to Oregon for his senior year and eventually became the 108th player selected in the draft.

In an Instagram post in April, just two days before the NFL draft, Jackson wrote, “Seeing Zayy and AJ (Hazel and Lytton) go D1 was my ultimate inspiration. They inspired me to be better, I can’t thank them enough.”

At Wise, all three players were two-way stars, highlight reels for both offense and defense, contributing to a 43-game winning streak for the Prince George’s County program that spanned multiple seasons and included three consecutive state titles.

Lytton was named All-Met Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 after spending his senior season as the backfield anchor of a dominant defense. He began his college career at Florida State, playing two seasons there before transferring to Penn State. His family could not immediately be reached for comment.

Hazel, another standout at wide receiver and cornerback, went to U-Md. He had turned his commitment from West Virginia down, giving the hometown Terps more momentum with local recruits. He played four seasons there before transferring to UNC-Charlotte for his final year of eligibility, where he started eight games and finished sixth on the team in tackles.

“He was a good young man and he’s going to heaven,” said Hazel’s grandmother, Edith S. Hazel. She said Hazel graduated with honors from U-Md. in 2022 but was determined to play professional soccer even after he went undrafted. He was the youngest of three children, and his older brother is a Prince George’s police officer, his grandmother said.

Jackson began his high school career at Springbrook High in Silver Spring before transferring to Wise midway through his sophomore year. A broken collarbone cost Jackson his junior season with the Pumas and dashed his recruiting hopes.

“I couldn’t just hang in there,” Jackson told The Washington Post in 2016. “I just had to come back better.”

He had a strong senior season as a wide receiver, totaling 39 catches for 612 yards and 12 touchdowns, and also played defensive back.

Despite those numbers, Jackson received little interest from college. He took a year off from football before enrolling at Fort Scott Community College in Kansas. From there, he rose through the ranks, transferring to the University of Alabama and then the University of Oregon. In Eugene, he established himself as a defensive star and a certain NFL draft prospect.

Jackson’s college coach at Oregon, Dan Lanning, wrote on X: “RIP Khyree… Love you beyond words. Will miss your smile. Great player, better person.”

“In our short time together,” Vikings coach O’Connell wrote on X, “it was clear that Khyree would develop into a tremendous professional football player, but what was even more impressive was his desire to become the best person he could be for his family and those around him. I am speechless.”