DeSean Jackson was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles as a Second Round Pick in 2008. As a Wide Receiver, he showcased a unique specialty in the National Football League by using his track-star-like speed to outrun almost anyone and stretch the field. Jackson was an All-Rookie Selection in his first year, with 912 Yards, and he broke 1,000 Yards five times. He was a three-time Pro Bowl Selection with the Eagles, demonstrating his ability to elude runners with his Yards After Catch stats. If a deep ball was thrown while Jackson was on the field, it was practically a given that he was the target!
Although Jackson was mainly used for the long ball, he never finished in the top ten in Receptions, despite being a WR1 for most of his career. His style permitted him to lead the NFL in yards per reception four times (in 2010, 2014, 2016 & 2018), and his overall number of 11,263 Receiving Yards with 58 Touchdowns is very solid. In addition, Jackson provided 463 Rushing Yards with 4 TDs and another 1,352 Return Yards with another 4 TDs. Along with Philadelphia, Jackson also played for Washington, Tampa Bay, Las Vegas, and Baltimore.
However, it is unlikely that Jackson will be inducted into the Hall of Fame, as the accumulative stats for Wide Receivers are gradually increasing, and he is likely to fall short. Nonetheless, he has one of the best highlight reels in football!
Archer was drafted by the Cleveland Indians but was later traded to the Tampa Bay Rays organization. He made his Major League debut in 2012 and became a permanent fixture in the Rays' rotation a year later. In 2015, despite having a losing record of 12-13, Archer had his best season. He fanned 253 batters, which placed him second in the American League. His 3.23 ERA was good enough for fifth place, and he also attained fifth place in Cy Young voting and added his first All-Star.
Although Archer never duplicated his 2015 season, he remained a top flamethrower despite his losing record. He led the league in losses in 2016 (19) but had 233 strikeouts. He had 249 strikeouts in 2017, which was also his second and final All-Star game. However, Archer's peak was over as he began accumulating injuries. He was later traded to Pittsburgh in 2018, where he suffered from thoracic outlet syndrome and missed the entire 2020 season. When he returned, he was ineffective, and although Tampa resigned him, more injuries were compiled, and he was only able to play six games in 2021. Minnesota gave him a shot, but that only lasted a year.
Archer's record was 63-89 with 1,454 strikeouts.
Anibal Sanchez is one of the best pitchers to come out of Venezuela, but he had an up-and-down career. He was signed by the Boston Red Sox but traded to the Florida Marlins while still in the minors. He had a successful rookie year, winning ten games against three losses, with a 2.93 ERA, and throwing a no-hitter that year. However, control issues and a torn labrum troubled him over the next three seasons, and he only played 32 games during that time. Sanchez was finally healthy in 2010 and, though not a star, became a solid middle-of-the-rotation performer.
The Marlins traded Sanchez to the Detroit Tigers for their playoff run, and in 2013 he had his best season. He led the American League in ERA (2.57), ERA+ (162), FIP (2.39), and HR9 (0.4), and was fourth in Cy Young voting. Sanchez never matched that level of performance again, and by 2017 he lost his job as a starter and was later demoted to AAA. Sanchez looked to be finished, but he found a spot on the Atlanta Braves roster, where he had his best year since 2013 (7-6, 2.83 ERA), resurrecting his career. The Washington Nationals signed him to a contract, and he helped the team win their first World Series Championship in 2019.
Sanchez played until 2022 and retired with a record of 116-119, with 1,774 strikeouts.