DeSean Jackson
From NCAA College Football Information & Resource
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DeSean Jackson was born on December 1, 1986 in Long Beach California to parents Gayle and Bill Jackson. He currently is a junior at University of California, Berkeley where he intends to pursue a degree in Social Welfare. He plays wide receiver for the California Golden Bears in the NCAA college football tournament, but also had interest in playing baseball where he is considered as having a "big-league potential". His brother Byron is a former San Jose State receiver who spent two seasons on the Kansas City Chiefs developmental squad. On the field, DeSean is considered as a top Heisman prospect for the 2007 season. Despite his size, DeSean has already garnered the respect and recognition by many as one of the most exciting players in the nation. He is also multi-awarded coming out of high school and has established several records including Pac-10 records for punts returned for a touchdown both in a season (four) and in a career (six).
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[edit] High School
Jackson was one of the highest rated wide receivers in the nation during his high school days. A Parade Magazine All-American, Jackson caught 60 passes for 1,075 yards and scored 15 touchdowns, eight of which measured at least 60 yards or more, including two on punt returns during his senior year at the Long Beach Polytechnic High School. His senior year was highlighted by his brilliant performance at the CIF Southern Section championship game (was sent in as a last minute defensive back and responded with two interceptions, one of which he returned 68 yards for a touchdown to help the Jack Rabbits' to a 21-6 victory over Los Alamitos High) and his acceptance of the 2004 Glenn Davis Award handed by the Los Angeles Times as Southern California's player of the year. Jackson capped his high school career with postseason appearances at the CaliFlorida Bowl game, where he had five catches for 145 yards and a touchdown, and in the prestigious U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, which features the top 80 players of the nation. In the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, Jackson was adjudged the most valuable player after registering seven receptions for 141 yards and passed for a 45-yard touchdown in leading the West to a 35-3 victory.
He also received several awards and recognitions in his prep career including being rated as the no.4 wide receiver in the country by ESPN.com's Tom Lemming, selected as an All-American and a member of the Dream Team Top 100 players by PrepStar, and voted as the 2004 Mr. Football State Player of the Year by Calhisports.com. In terms of rankings, SuperPrep ranked him No. 21 in its Elite 50 players in the nation and No. 4 player in the state of California. Rivals.com also rated him the No. 3 player in the Golden State and the No. 32 player in the USA. He was also a two-time member of the famed Long Beach Press-Telegram "Best in the West" first team.
[edit] College
Many college football programs showed interest in Jackson but in the end, he committed to Jeff Tedford's football program at Cal, making his announcement on Southern California's FSN West.
[edit] 2005
In only his first collegiate game against Sacramento State, Jackson wasted little time scoring his first career touchdown on his first touch of the football as he caught a 31-yard pass in Cal's season opener. He also scored a special teams touchdown via his first ever punt return, a 49-yarder, in that very same game. His longest reception of the year came in a game against Stanford where he grabbed a 56-yard TD pass. He also performed in his first bowl game, registering six catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns of 42 and 22 yards against BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl. He completed his debut season picking up 38 receptions for 601 yards along with seven touchdowns.
[edit] 2006
As a sophomore, Jackson picked off where he left off on his rookie year emerging as a first team All-Pac-10 selection as a wide receiver and as a punt returner. He was also voted as first team All-America punt returner by the Associated Press, Walter Camp Foundation, the Football Writers Association of America, the Sporting News and Rivals.com. To top it off, Jackson was the recipient of the Randy Moss Award, which is given to the top return man in the nation after compiling an 18.2 yards per punt return average.
He finished the year with 1,060 receiving yards (had four 100-yard receiving games) and nine touchdowns, with the latter ranking second in the Pac-10. He also set school and Pac-10 records for season (4) and career punt return TDs (5) with a 95-yarder in a game against Arizona.
[edit] Highlights
| The Top Returner of 2006. DeSean Jackson receives the 2007 Randy Moss Return Man Award from Randy Moss himself at the 2007 Inta Juice North South All Star Classic. |
[edit] Achievements
[edit] 2007
- Rated as the No. 1 receiver in the nation by The Sporting News.
- Rated as the No. 1 receiver in the nation by Rivals.com.
- Rated as the No. 1 special teams player by Rivals.com.
- Mel Kiper tabbed him as the No. 1 junior receiver in the nation.
- Athlon Sports (first-team All-America), Playboy Magazine (first-team All-America), The Sporting News (first-team All-America), Street & Smith's (first-team All-America), Blue Ribbon (first-team All-America).
[edit] 2006
- A first-team All-Pac-10 selection as a wide receiver and as a punt returner.
- A first-team All-America punt returner by the Associated Press.
- A first-team All-America punt returner by the Walter Camp Foundation.
- A first-team All-America punt returner by the Football Writers Association of America.
- A first-team All-America punt returner by the Sporting News.
- A first-team All-America punt returner by Rivals.com.
- Captured the inaugural Randy Moss Award as the top return man in the nation.
[edit] References
- DeSean Jackson 2008 NFL Draft Prospect
- DeSean Jackson Awards
- DeSean Jackson Cal Profile
- DeSean Jackson Wikipedia
