Also see: NFL Rookies 101: Jerod Mayo
DeSean Jackson was born in December of 1986 in Long Beach, California. After a high school career that ended with him being generally regarded as one of the top receiving prospects in the nation, Jackson capped off his pre-college days by winning the high school graduate All-American Bowl's MVP award. Many people thought he would go to the juggernaut that is USC, but Jackson surprised everyone when he declared he would be playing his college ball at the University of California instead.
Jackson, who is 5'10" and 175 pounds, is known for his speed. He is a quick, agile receiver whose game breaking threat made him one of the most exciting athletes to watch in college football. Despite a rookie season where he lived up to expectations, followed by a sophomore campaign in which he played even better, Jackson's junior season was marred by consistent injuries that could be said to have hindered his play all year.
Regardless, DeSean's career at Cal was one to be envied. He finished with 162 receptions for 2,423 yards and 22 touchdowns. Suffice to say, he was a prime target of many pro football teams before the draft.
The 2008 NFL Draft was an enigma. Despite having perhaps one of the most loaded receiving classes of this decade, not a single WR was taken until the second round. Once in the second round, however, it was a feeding frenzy, with 10 receivers being taken before the start of the third. Out of everyone except perhaps Limas Sweed, Jackson landed himself in a very good position with the team who drafted him.
Although the Eagles still don't have a prototypical number one receiver, they do have a game-changing speedster for both their offensive and kick returning units in Jackson. Once he matures into his role and learns the ropes, Jackson and running back Brian Westbrook together on the same field should succeed in giving defensive coordinators nightmares.
Position wise, Jackson should play the 2008 season as either the third or fourth wide receiver on the depth chart, depending on how fast he acclimates to everything thrown at him. It's common knowledge that the wide receiving position is second only to the quarterback in regards to difficulty of the rookie season.
With everyone running faster, hitting harder and cornerbacks now actually able to play defense, it's a tough first year and one that not many rookies excel at.
The important thing is that Jackson is in an offense that can take the attention away from him and utilize his unique talents in situations built for him to succeed. Not to mention, he is the odds-on favorite to return both kicks and punts and that will be a great opportunity for him to get used to how much faster the pro game is from the college one. It also should get him used to being hit and being hit hard. Very hard.
Although Jackson is small, he makes up for it by being both shifty and hard to tackle. Whatever the reason is of why he didn't bulk up during college is, the pro game tends to succeed where college could not. Even if he didn't put on any weight, DeSean would still have the tools to succeed, despite being at a disadvantage due to his size.
Should he bulk up a bit, however, he could take his game to another level due to all the extra things he could do with a bigger frame. It's all common sense, yes, but it's definitely something to keep your eye on.
Actually, just do yourself a favor and keep your eye on this kid's career as a whole. He's going to be good.
Leave a Comment