Jacob Marcus De Jesus (born March 13, 2002)[1] is an American professional football wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Modesto Junior College Pirates, UNLV Rebels, and California Golden Bears.
| No. 80 – Kansas City Chiefs | |
|---|---|
| Position | Wide receiver |
| Roster status | Undrafted free agent |
| Personal information | |
| Born | March 13, 2002[1] Manteca, California, U.S. |
| Listed height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
| Listed weight | 174 lb (79 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Manteca (Manteca, California) |
| College |
|
| NFL draft | 2026: undrafted |
| Career history | |
| |
| Awards and highlights | |
| Stats at ESPN | |
Early life
editDe Jesus attended Manteca High School in Manteca, California. As a junior, he was named co-Offensive Player of the Year of the Valley Oak League.[2] After receiving no football scholarship offers following his high school career, De Jesus enrolled at Modesto Junior College.[3]
College career
editAs a freshman, De Jesus totaled 1,243 all-purpose yards and two receiving touchdowns.[3] During his sophomore year, he hauled in 64 catches for 914 yards and five touchdowns, before transferring to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.[4] In his first season at UNLV, De Jesus made an instant impact, establishing himself as the team's primary return specialist.[5] He finished the 2023 season leading the nation in total return yards with 1,079, while also catching 60 passes for 606 yards and two touchdowns.[6] In the 2024 LA Bowl, De Jesus totaled 142 all-purpose yards and a touchdown, being named the game's offensive MVP.[7] Following the conclusion of the 2024 season, he announced his decision to transfer to the University of California, Berkeley.[8] During the 2025 season, De Jesus hauled in 108 receptions, establishing the school record for single season receptions.[9] At the conclusion of the season, he was named first-team All-ACC.[10]
Statistics
edit| Season | Team | GP | Receiving | Punt returns | Kick returns | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | TD | |||
| 2021 | Modesto | 9 | 41 | 466 | 11.4 | 2 | 7 | 96 | 13.7 | 0 | 21 | 462 | 22.0 | 0 |
| 2022 | Modesto | 11 | 64 | 914 | 14.3 | 5 | 11 | 52 | 4.7 | 0 | 12 | 224 | 18.7 | 0 |
| 2023 | UNLV | 14 | 60 | 606 | 10.1 | 2 | 16 | 257 | 16.1 | 0 | 32 | 815 | 25.5 | 0 |
| 2024 | UNLV | 13 | 36 | 512 | 14.2 | 3 | 25 | 252 | 10.1 | 0 | 9 | 190 | 21.1 | 0 |
| 2025 | California | 13 | 108 | 1,021 | 9.5 | 6 | 22 | 259 | 11.8 | 0 | 18 | 363 | 20.2 | 0 |
| JUCO career | 20 | 105 | 1,380 | 13.1 | 7 | 18 | 148 | 8.2 | 0 | 33 | 686 | 20.8 | 0 | |
| NCAA career | 40 | 204 | 2,139 | 10.5 | 11 | 63 | 768 | 12.2 | 0 | 59 | 1,368 | 23.2 | 0 | |
Professional career
edit| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) | 174 lb (79 kg) | 27+3⁄4 in (0.70 m) | 8+5⁄8 in (0.22 m) | 5 ft 6+7⁄8 in (1.70 m) | 4.60 s | 1.62 s | 2.71 s | 4.28 s | 7.22 s | 32.5 in (0.83 m) | 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) | 13 reps |
| All values from Pro Day[11] | ||||||||||||
De Jesus signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent on May 1, 2026.[12]
Personal life
editDe Jesus has Native Hawaiian ancestry.[13]
References
edit- 1 2 @jacobdejesus21 (March 13, 2020). "So grateful for God giving me another year. I'm thankful for the wonderful life he has paved for me these past 18 years. Excited to see what my savior has in store for me. 🙏🏽 #blessed #EIGHTEEN" (Tweet). Retrieved May 22, 2026 – via Twitter.
- ↑ Niendorf, Kevin (October 13, 2019). "De Jesus stars in Manteca's blowout victory". The Stockton Record. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- 1 2 Teeguarden, Ethan (September 6, 2025). "'I'm going to show you': Jacob De Jesus stands tall beyond his frame". www.dailycal.org. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ↑ Grimala, Mike (August 14, 2023). "Jacob De Jesus emerging as star of UNLV football practice — again". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ↑ Fin, Callie (October 4, 2024). "Jacob De Jesus balances family, football dreams at UNLV". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ↑ "Athlon Sports tabs UNLV football's De Jesus, White Preseason All-Americans". Fox 5 Vegas. June 18, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ↑ Vannoy, Jenelle (December 27, 2024). "UNLV's Jacob De Jesus shines as Outstanding Rebel of the Week". KSNV. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ↑ "UNLV star return specialist announces transfer to Cal". KSNV. January 10, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ↑ Kroner, Steve. "How diminutive Jacob De Jesus is standing tall on Cal's all-time receptions list". San Francisco Chronicle.
- ↑ "Cal's Jacob De Jesus Finds 3 Spots on All-ACC Football Team". California Golden Bears On SI. December 2, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ↑ "Jacob De Jesus College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
- ↑ McMullen, Matt (May 1, 2026). "Breaking Down the Chiefs 2026 Undrafted Free Agent Class". Chiefs.com.
- ↑ "De Jesus, Uluave 2025 Polynesian College Football POY Finalists". California Golden Bears Athletics. December 9, 2025. Retrieved April 23, 2026.