Jackson had 62 catches during his rookie season, which provides some answers to the questions about his habits. Then, during preseason practices this year, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound wideout was easily the Eagles' most dynamic performer and one of their most professional.
Jackson's sophomore season is loaded with incentives. He can prove his rookie season was no fluke. The 22-year-old also wants that big contract he never got - the one the Eagles just gave to their 2009 first-round draft pick, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin.
"Money motivates everybody," Jackson said. "I'm trying to set myself up for my second contract. I'm a starter that wasn't drafted in the first round - but that's cool. The best thing I can do is to set myself up for the long run in this league."
For the Eagles, a Jackson leap into an elite level demonstrates that they can scout, draft, and develop a prospect into a No. 1 receiver after a few failed attempts. Coach Andy Reid did his homework on Jackson and came away convinced that the California product would blossom into a star and not wither into a prima donna.
"I didn't have that problem," Reid said. "I talked to his head coach [at Cal] and I've known [Jeff] Tedford for a long time. He has a pretty good idea what he's doing there and he didn't say he wasn't good with all that."
Tedford has said in the past that Jackson, because of his natural abilities, didn't have to work as hard as others. Reid was raised in Los Angeles, not far from Long Beach Polytechnic, where Jackson went to high school. The coach called around and made inquiries. Still, he had to hear it straight from the source.
"When we interviewed him at the combine and we brought him in here we drilled him pretty hard, saying, 'What's the deal?' " Heckert said. "It's one of those 'He said, he said,' deals where you get different stories."
