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Cowboys Insider: Cal's Jackson would be a good fit
[SIZE=-1]Web Posted: 03/07/2008 05:25 PM CST
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[SIZE=-1]Tom Orsborn
San Antonio Express-News[/SIZE]
Cowboy fans should have their fingers crossed that their team comes up short in the draft.
A perfect fit for Dallas would be Cal receiver/punt returner DeSean Jackson, who measured only 5-foot-9 and 169 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine. The Golden Bears had listed him at 6-foot, 166 pounds.
"As a rule, I don't like guys under 6 foot tall, but there are exceptions, and he is an exception," says NFL.com analyst Gil Brandt, the Cowboys' personnel director during the Tom Landry Era. "He's a talented, talented, talented player."
Dallas needs a receiver that can stretch the field, and Jackson has that ability in abundance. In Indianapolis, he ran a blistering 4.35-second 40. But that's no surprise to those who watched Jackson electrify the Pac-10 the last three seasons.
"There are times when you see him catch a ball and split people and you just shake your head," Cal coach Jeff Tedford told USA Today last year. "He’s playing at a different speed than everybody else."
That was particularly evident when Jackson returned punts for the Golden Bears. He took back six for touchdowns, a school and Pac-10 record that's two shy of the NCAA mark of eight scores shared by Texas Tech's Wes Welker (2000-2003) and Oklahoma's Antonio Perkins (2001-2004).
"As a punt returner, he's Hesteresque," Brandt says.
That's Hesteresque as in the Bears' Devin Hester, whose seven career punt returns for TDs in two seasons are six more than the Cowboys have had in the past six seasons.
As a sophomore, Jackson led the nation with 18.2 yards per punt return, earning him All-America honors and making him a YouTube favorite. One of his more spectacular returns that season came against Oregon.
"When he’s returning punts, Jackson is like a mosquito," Brandt said. "You are going to have a hard time swatting him. He can really accelerate and fly. "
Brandt also likes Jackson’s potential as a pro receiver. While at Cal, he hauled in 162 passes for 2,423 yards (15.0 average) and 22 TDs.
"He really has good hands," Brandt said. "He really can snatch the ball. And he’s explosive." But is he too small? Brandt certainly doesn't think so. And let's not forget Welker stands 5-8 and Carolina’s Steve Smith is 5-9. With the proper training, Jackson should be able to come within 5 pounds of Smith's weight. Welker is 190.
The Cowboys have the Nos. 22 and 28 picks in the first round. Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN's draft guru, rates Jackson as the second best receiver behind Oklahoma's Malcolm Kelly and has Tampa Bay selecting Jackson at No. 20. Other mock drafts have Jackson going anywhere from 20 to the second round.
Whatever happens, the electric Jackson will become a fan favorite, Brandt predicts.
"He's got a Deion Sanders type of personality," Brandt says. "He's the kind of guy you like to love. He'll excite them. He would love Dallas. He would cause some excitement at the next stadium."
torsborn@express-news.net
