Rod Smith says there is still some juice left in No. 80 — Can Warren Jackson be the next great undrafted wide receiver for the Broncos?

 DENVER — There’s something special about No. 80. 

Rick Upchirch (1975-83), Mark Jackson (1986-92) and of course, Rod Smith (1995-2007). 

In his 11 seasons with the Denver Broncos Smith recorded 849 receptions for 11,389 yards and 68 touchdown catches. The former undrafted wide receiver and eventual two-time world champion was one of the most popular players to suit up for the Orange & Blue during the Mike Shannahan era.  

Now 14 years since Smith hung it up, though, it’s time for a new undrafted wide receiver to make 80 a household number again. That’s where Warren Jackson comes into play. In an interview after Friday’s practice, Jackson told reporters that Smith told the rookie that he left some juice in the number. Jackson obviously wants to live up to that legacy. 

Undrafted receiver Warren Jackson is wearing #80 at #BroncosCamp and hoping to follow in the footsteps of the legendary @TheREALrodSmith.

Jackson said Smith told him he “left a little juice” in that #80 jersey 🙌🙌 @WideOutNation18 @CSUFootball pic.twitter.com/iV2YiSsHjT

— Romi Bean (@Romi_Bean) August 6, 2021

In his three seasons at Colorado State, Jackson was a monster for the Rams. His 2019 season was particularly impressive, even despite losing his starting quarterback for the year in the opening month of the campaign. In 10 games played, Jackson had 77 receptions, 1,119 yards and eight touchdown catches — all while battling upper and lower body injuries throughout the year. 

He was so dominant that he was actually named the 2020 preseason Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year before he elected to opt-out of the season. 

Admittedly, Jackson’s showing at his Pro Day could have been stronger. His 40 time of 4.72 seconds didn’t demonstrate much explosiveness. The thing is Jackson has never been a burner. And as someone that had the pleasure of covering Jackson throughout his collegiate career, I’m telling you that when the lights are on, it doesn’t matter what the 6-foot-6, 215-pound receiver runs in his underwear. 

Jackson is a long wide receiver, with solid strength and consistent hands. 50-50 balls are more like 60-40 balls in favor of Jackson. And when the ball is in his hands, Jackson doesn’t go down easily. 

In an era where a lot of guys dance around at the line of scrimmage, Jackson is an old-school receiver that will flat out run through a defender’s face. He has room to grow as a route runner but when you watch him enough, you’ll start to see that Jackson has deceptively fluid hips, and does a good job of selling defensive backs just enough to create space and secure the catch. 

As a run blocker, Jackson has shown that he can complete the play. Not necessarily the nastiest blocker in the world but he does use his frame to his advantage when he needs to shield off a defender. 

Don't let "UDFA" fool you. The Broncos have a stud in Warren Jackson pic.twitter.com/wLqiSDfXUg

— Justin Michael (@JustinTMichael) May 3, 2021

Looking at the situation realistically, Jackson is likely a long-shot to make the 53-man roster in 2021. With Courtland Sutton coming back, the wide receiver room is loaded. The team investing draft capital in both Tyrie Cleveland (2020) and Seth Williams (2021) doesn’t help his cause either. Neither does having one less preseason game to stand out on tape. 

That said, every now and then, the football gods deliver the story everyone is rooting for. Whether it be Smith, C.J. Anderson, Shaquil Barrett, or Phil Lindsay, there have been plenty of players over the years that have been able to defy the odds in the Mile High City. 

Obviously, those guys were all anomalies, as they became Pro Bowlers and Super Bowl champions after working their way into the league. What Jackson has in common with all of those guys, though, is a selfless mindset and relentless drive to compete. During his time in Fort Collins, CO, Jackson wasn’t in a situation where anything was handed to him. He came up behind three different NFL wide receivers, had three quarterbacks in as many seasons, and had to live up to the growing legacy of what was referred to as ‘Wide Receiver U’ under Mike Bobo. Warren never disappointed. 

I’m not saying that Jackson is a lock to make the roster or that he’ll even see the field this upcoming season. As we’ve already covered, the hill Jackson must climb is a steep one if he wants to stand out. I am saying, however, if there is a player that is deserving of fan support this year, it’s definitely Jackson. Everyone loves a good underdog story, and with guys like Lindsay (Houston) and Barrett (Tampa Bay) now playing elsewhere, the fans could use another homegrown talent to rally around.

More important than any storylines, Jackson isn’t just a feel-good story. The guy can flat-out play. Don’t be surprised if Jackson ends up working his way onto the roster at some point. Don’t be surprised when he makes the most of that opportunity either.

The precedent has been set. The script is ready to be written. The juice in No. 80 still remains. We’ll see if Jackson is up for the part.