Bear Bytes From Pro Day
football March 12th. 2008, 3:29pmSo by now, you’ve probably read that Jerry Rice showed up at Cal’s Pro Day to keep an eye on his newest pupil, receiver DeSean Jackson. But just because Rice was the only one there with 197 career touchdown catches and a golf ball-sized Super Bowl ring dangling from his necklace doesn’t mean we can overlook the other important sightings yesterday at Memorial Stadium.
They included:
1. Yahoo Sports columnist (and Daily Cal alumnus) Michael Silver—helped Rice pen his autobiography and used to write for Sports Illustrated.
2. Hall of Famer James Lofton—recently hired as wide receivers coach for the Oakland Raiders.
3. D-Jax’s future—brighter than the reflection from his mentor’s jewelry.
As far as I can remember, Jackson took just one false step on Tuesday. During position drills the receivers lined up and showed off their route-running skills for the scouts, with Lofton throwing the passes. DeSean lined up and started to explode out of his crouch, only Lofton didn’t snap the ball and D-Jax stumbled forward for a couple steps.
“Can’t be doing that in this league, son,” Lofton said, drawing some knowing smiles.
Ah, rookies.
Jackson was not amused. To his credit, he didn’t let it faze him either. He stepped back up to the line, motioned for Lofton to snap it, and made that route—and the rest of his workout—look easy.
Rice’s reaction went something like this: “That’s all right, man. When I was playing I had to warn referees about that. I moved with the ball. Everybody else waited a half second.”Life’s good when Jerry Rice has your back.
Rice compared his newest mentee to the NFL’s Steve Smith (both of them) and Devin Hester, putting aside the doubts about how Jackson’s size will hold up in the professional ranks. Jackson was measured at 5-foot-10, 169 pounds at the Combine.
“The guy has all the talent in the world,” Rice said. “You look at Devin Hester, what he brings to the game. And I know they’re trying to incorporate him more as a receiver. But when you look at DeSean, DeSean is already a receiver. He runs excellent routes and you know what he can do with the ball on the punt return. So it’s almost like you want to design plays for this guy.”
Jackson laughed off a question about the disparity between his Combine height and the Cal media guide, which lists him at 6-feet.
“It’s them shoes,” he said.
Fellow receiver Robert Jordan, who wasn’t invited to the Combine, ran a 40 clocked by some scouts at 4.38. Afterward, he fielded questions from reporters about his future in the League.
How’s the trio (of Jackson, Jordan and Lavelle Hawkins) going to go? The gold, the silver and the bronze—who’s going to go one, two three?”
Oh, I’m going one, two and three,” Jordan said. (For the record, Jackson was asked the same question and responded, “I feel like I’m the number one punch, but Lavelle and Rob, they’re definitely up there.” Mock drafts tend to agree with DeSean.)
Robert, the Raiders have a need at wide receiver.
“Hey, that would be a dream come true for me, to play with my cousin (quarterback JaMarcus Russell) for the Raiders, that organization. But I’m willing to play for whoever is going to pick me up and take me, give me a chance to play ball.”
That’s right, I forgot. Cousin to cousin.
“Yeah, don’t let me get on the Bills neither with Marshawn.”
Have you talked to JaMarcus at all?
“I talked to that boy last night. I tried to get him to come throw to us today but he’s probably still sleeping somewhere.”
Lavelle Hawkins, asked what he was going to do with his first big NFL paycheck, said: “I would like to buy my grandmother a house.” Seriously, I defy you to find one person that doesn’t want to see this guy succeed.
Finally, tailback Justin Forsett was talking to a scout for the Buffalo Bills after the workouts had died down yesterday afternoon. Any chance that we’ll see the Lynch-Forsett 1-2 punch in the NFL?”Anything can happen,” Forsett said with a grin.
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