Jordan Jenkins Will Make an Impact with the New York Jets
The New York Jets added youth at the linebacker position, drafting Darron Lee in round one and Jordan Jenkins in round three of the draft. Todd Bowles and company will be very happy with Jenkins.
The NFL Draft is behind us and the rookies around the league have gone through their first practices with their teams. Todd Bowles and the New York Jets’ staff have put the young men through the paces, giving them a little taste of what life in the pros is all about.
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One position that the Jets needed to address was linebacker. Demario Davis is gone, and that is not a bad thing. I have written in the past about how he was lost in pass coverage. They have added Darron Lee and Jordan Jenkins. Today, we look at Jenkins, and the skills he brings to the table that will make him an impact player in year one.
As a three-year starter at Georgia, Jenkins posted 204 tackles, 39 tackles for losses, 19 sacks, six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. The numbers give us two solid pieces of information. The first is that he has played a significant number of snaps in his young life, which isn’t always the case when players don’t start as long.The second is that he is always around the football, which is a great trait for any linebacker to have.
MEASURABLES
HEIGHT: 6’3″
WEIGHT: 259 pounds
ARM LENGTH: 34.25″
HANDS: 11.25″
His forty yard dash time was less than ideal at 4.8 seconds, but he did explode with his vertical jump, posting 36.5″ to be a top performer at the position.
Erik Lambert of NFL Mocks notes these key strengths in Jenkins:
"Height and weight suggest his best fit is at linebacker but he has versatile experience as a defensive end as well.Zero hesitation off the snap. Can shoot gaps with great quickness and blow a play up in the backfield before it even starts.Show enough fluidity and athleticism to drop in coverage. Good awareness to find the football and then flies to it."
Here is footage from two separate games for Jenkins:
There are some wonderful things here. He is an every down linebacker, and he plays sideline to sideline. He is a stout tackler. When Jenkins gets his man, he simply doesn’t miss. I also agree with Erik, Jenkins seems very fluid when dropping into coverage. His nose for the football is what saves him there. He finds it, and goes to get it.
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To stick on an NFL roster at the linebacker position, you need to be able to play near the line as well as drop back, and Jenkins can do it. Jenkins can also play with his and in the dirt or standing up. NFL coaches love versatility.
He is inconsistent with shedding blocks. In the game against Alabama, about 20 seconds into the tape, Jenkins makes a brilliant spin move to get back into the hole and stop a running back. But there are times he can also be swallowed up, especially when facing double teams. Even in one on one battle, he can be redirected by his opponent.
He won’t see the double team as often when he takes the field for the Jets, with players like Leonard Williams and Muhammad Wilkerson for opponents to worry about. Getting coached up on technique will also help Jenkins beat his man in the pros.
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Jenkins was my favorite choice over the first two days of the draft and both the team and the fans will soon see why.