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Cal's Jackson goes on 49th pick to Eagles
It's almost as if his father saw this coming.
Five days before DeSean Jackson had to wait four hours and 49 minutes Saturday to be selected on the NFL draft's first day, his father made a prophetic statement.
"He'll celebrate his (mother's birthday) and eat at a restaurant," Jackson's father, Bill, said Monday. "Then, he'll have his say."
Jackson almost had to wait until the second day of the draft to have his say, and his mother, Gayle, had to wait until nearly 5 p.m. to celebrate her birthday. Once considered the top receiver in the draft, Jackson's diminutive size caused him to fall to the Philadelphia Eagles with the 18th pick in the second round (49th overall).
"I have been hearing about (my size) all my life," DeSean Jackson said. "It has been something to motivate me. Sitting back and waiting for my name to be called, I kind of figured that a lot of people were afraid of my size, but like I tell everybody else, my heart is bigger than my size and I play larger than I really am."
Six receivers were drafted before Jackson, including two (Donnie Avery and Eddie Royal) who are shorter and less than 10 pounds heavier than his reported current weight of 178 pounds. Jackson, a seemingly sure-fire first-rounder before he weighed in at 169 at the NFL combine, waited so long to be picked that ESPN, which had a crew set up with his family in Southern California, stopped cutting to Jackson images.
Kenny Irons, an Auburn running back, was selected 49th overall by Cincinnati last season. He signed a four-year, $5 million contract, with $1.7 million guaranteed, before tearing his anterior cruciate ligament and missing the entire season. The Chronicle projected Jackson would be the 29th overall pick, the place Baltimore selected Auburn guard Ben Grubbs last year. Grubbs signed a five-year, $11 million deal, with $5.22 million guaranteed, before starting 12 games.
"I definitely was surprised because I felt like I would go higher than I did, but God had a plan for me, and I knew it would be a team that would pick me up and put me in a great position," Jackson said. "Everything happens for a reason, and I think this is going to be a great fit for me."
The analysts of the draft agreed. Former No. 1 pick and receiver Keyshawn Johnson felt the Eagles got a steal with the second-round selection of Jackson.
Philadelphia coach "Andy Reid just got a terrific toy on both offense and special teams with a kid who can put them in good field position," Johnson said.
"He's really, really special at making people miss, and what he brings to the table from Day 1 is his return ability," NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said.
Former 49ers quarterback Steve Young thinks Jackson's relationship with Jerry Rice, the NFL's most prolific receiver of all time, will help in the Eagles' West Coast offense
In a hybrid offense at Cal, Jackson needed only three seasons to move to No. 3 on the school's all-time list in receiving yards (2,423) and receiving touchdowns (22) and sixth in total receptions (162). He had 29 touchdowns in 36 career games and 23 percent of his touches went for 20 or more yards.
"He has all the talent in the world," Rice said at Cal's Pro Day. "There's no reason he can't be everything he wants to be at the next level."
Jackson wants to be part of an Eagles Super Bowl run.
"They have some awesome names to be a part of," Jackson said. "I am going to come in right away and try to compete, and just get better as soon as possible."
Jackson was the only player with local connections drafted Saturday. Among those who could get drafted today are Thomas DeCoud (Cal), Lavelle Hawkins (Cal), Josh Johnson (Oakland Tech), Craig Stevens (Cal), Dennis Dixon (San Leandro), Mark Bradford (Stanford), Justin Forsett (Cal), Dwight Lowery (San Jose State), Davone Bass (Skyline), T.C. Ostrander (Stanford), Kyle Wright (Monte Vista), Sam Keller (San Ramon Valley), Larry Grant (CCSF), Robert Jordan (Cal), Adam Tafralis (San Jose State), Adam Bishop (Rancho Cotate), Steve Johnson (Fairfield), Evan Moore (Stanford), Eric Bakhtiari (Burlingame), Thomas Williams (Vacaville), Maurice Purify (CCSF) and Mike Gibson (Cal).
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