DeSean Jackson: Greatest big-play weapon ever and future Hall of Famer

DeSean Jackson is the greatest big-play weapon in NFL history and he will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day because of it.

DeSean Jackson may never be in the greatest NFL receiver of all time discussion. He likely will not end his career in the top 20 or even 30 for career receptions, yards or touchdowns. However, there is one title that Jackson has earned with his play on the field: The greatest big-play weapon of all time.

Jackson has played in Philadelphia, Washington and Tampa Bay to this point, but the last stop of his career will be Canton. Why? Because what he has done in the NFL will not be ignored, earning Jackson a gold jacket and his own bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

If you think I’m crazy, you are overlooking his accomplishments in the NFL and what he has done when he is on the field. No other player has been able to change the game as Jackson has throughout an entire career.

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And by changing the game, I mean the way he can score a 60-yard touchdown out of nowhere and make the defense respect him whenever he is on the field because of it. His ability to make big plays is one of a kind and something the Pro Football Hall of Fame voters should appreciate.

Jackson has led the NFL in yards per reception four times, in 2010 (22.5), 2014 (20.9), 2016 (17.9) and 2018 (18.9). He has also been in the top 10 three other years, 2009 (18.6), 2013 (16.2), and 2015 (17.6). For his career, Jackson has averaged 17.4 yards per reception, which is currently first among all active players in the NFL.

His 17.4 yards per reception is only 39th best in NFL history. However, those numbers are a little skewed because of the new age of football and only one player (Devery Henderson, 17.9 yards per reception) is above him that played in the 2000s and beyond.

Jackson’s best season of his career was in 2010, when he averaged 22.5 yards per reception. 22.5 yards per reception is only good enough for the 69th best for a season, but again, only one player who played in the 2000s is above him (Henderson).

The 2008 second-round pick (49th overall) has scored 61 career touchdowns since entering the NFL. Of those 61, 23 of them were go-ahead touchdowns and eight of them were game-tying touchdowns. One of those, a 65-yard punt return touchdown against the New York Giants as time expired, will go down as one of the greatest touchdowns in NFL history. That iconic play will definitely be a big part of Jackson’s Hall of Fame speech.

There is more to his 61 career touchdowns than the play deemed the “Miracle at the New Meadowlands.” Of those 61 career scores, 42 of them were over 30 yards. 34 of them were over 40 yards. 29 of them have gone for over 50 yards. Those 29 touchdowns over 50 yards puts Jackson tied for the second most in NFL history with Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss, trailing just Jerry Rice (36).

Rice leads in almost every career receiving statistic in NFL history, however, there is one stat that Jackson has passed him on: touchdowns over 60 yards. Rice had 23 in his career, but in 2018, Jackson passed Rice with 24 career touchdowns of 60-plus yards. He also added 10 touchdowns over 70 yards, five touchdowns over 80 yards, and one touchdown over 90 yards.

As if the touchdown stats weren’t enough, there is one more big statistic that cements Jackson as a Hall of Fame player. Jackson’s 61 career touchdowns have covered an average distance of 44.5 yards per score. Those 44.5 yards per touchdown is the longest average touchdown distance in NFL history (minimum of 60 touchdowns), according to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers official website.

What is even crazier about all of these numbers is that Jackson probably still has two more solid years of football left as he returns to the Eagles, so he will likely increase almost all them. His average distance will surely drop a little, but he will still always be one of the top players for average distance per touchdown, highlighting his big-play ability.

Jackson may be one of the smallest players on the field, weighing in around 175 pounds, but he always shows up big. Jackson is the greatest big-play weapon in NFL history and when he finally decides to retire, he will have earned his spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame because of it.