Even as a 30-year-old speed receiver, DeSean Jackson is still turning heads.
"I mean, how old is he?" Bucs wideout Adam Humphriestold Pewter Report. "He runs so smooth, take the ball he caught deep ball over [Vernon Hargreaves last week], he makes it look so easy. It is a blessing what he has, the way he runs. It is just fun to watch."
According to Next Gen Stats, Jackson's top-end speed actually improved last year, as did his average yards per reception -- a stunning 17.9 on 56 catches.
He is exactly the type of boom-or-bust player that can set a team's offseason hype train on a runaway course -- and alongside O.J. Howard and Mike Evans, Jackson has done just that.
Jackson will be turning heads in practice all summer, but it will be quarterback Jameis Winston's ability to use him in practical moments that will actually cement the hype.
As a Bucs fan, this summer will be a steadily increasing tease. Between nuggets like this from Humphries, the inevitable Hard Knocks bump and the steady stream of positive vibes coming from coach Dirk Koetter, Tampa Bay is becoming harder and harder to ignore within the NFC South. Jackson will either define their rise or their disappointment in 2017.
