Green Bay Packers NFL Draft prospect profile: DL John Jenkins
Player Information:
John Jenkins, DL Georgia
6-4, 346 pounds
Hometown: Meriden, CT
NFL Combine:
Bench: 30 reps
News and Notes:
Weight fluctuated between 336 and 376 pounds at Georgia. … He says he’s now educated on how to keep his weight down and weight will not be an issue in the NFL. … Body type screams nose tackle, but he played several positions on the D-line at Georgia. … Totaled 78 tackles and four sacks over four years at Georgia. … Credited with 14 QB pressures in two seasons, a lot for a guy his size. … Compares to B.J. Raji, both in his body type and tendency to get wiped out by double teams.
What they’re saying about him:
- NFL.com: “Jenkins is a massive junior college transfer with great upside as a run-stuffer, but is limited to being a nose tackle in a 3-4 scheme because of his lack of quickness. His impressive size and strength will likely make him coveted, but needs to improve his balance and pad-level.”
- Doug Farrar: “Will dance through trash in tight spaces and keeps the effort toward the ballcarrier even after he’s blocked out of a play. Comes off the snap with good intensity and gets into “fighting stance” quickly. Can play well enough in multiple gaps, though he’s ideally an interior defender at the NFL level. Played some end at Georgia and did it well enough for it to be a part of his NFL palette.”
Video:
Video Analysis:
- Size immediately stands out, even before the film starts rolling. I have visions of a marketing campaign featuring Raji, Jenkins, Ryan Pickett and a cameo from Gilbert Brown.
- Very quick in space. When he’s chasing down a play, I can’t believe how fast he is for his size.
- Not as quick off the ball as I’d thought he’d be, especially when double-teamed. At times, it seems like he senses the double team before the snap and gets tentative.
- Seems to get chopped down fairly often. Some scouting reports said all of his mass is in his upper body, making him easy to cut-block.
- Really hard to move when blocking one-on-one. Just his sheer size makes it necessary to double-team him.
- Showed some burst pass rushing inside, escially when getting leverage with his initial move.
- I don’t see Jenkins as a 3-4 DE at all. To me, he’s stricly a nose tackle. Yes, he played some DE at Georgia, but I’m not sure if it would translate to the NFL. He seems to be best lining up over the center.
- If an NFL team can get Jenkins stronger and teach him how to fight with his hands to escape double teams, he’ll be dangerous.
If drafted by the Packers
I see Jenkins as a player who will take two or three years to develop. But if he’s still there at the end of the first round, he might be too big to pass up.
Ryan Pickett will need to be replaced in the very near future (maybe Raji as well), and Jenkins seems like he could be the guy to do it. I know I’ve written often about the need for the Packers to get more multi-dimensional defensive linemen — the phrase “occupy blockers” makes me want to pull my hair out — but how many dimensions do you need when you’re 350 pounds?
My main worry about Jenkins is that he could be a softer version of Raji, and Raji isn’t exactly known for his stoutness. Like Raji, Jenkins has some trouble getting wiped out by double teams. But unlike Raji, effort doesn’t appear to be an issue with Jenkins. With some coaching and strength training, I can see Jenkins using his hands better to fight those double teams and not end up on the ground so often.
If everything goes right for Jenkins, he could be another Red Bryant, but it’s far more likely that he’s the next Ryan Pickett. If Jenkins flops, it’s probably going to be because he spent too much time at the dinner table and not enough in the weight room.
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Adam Czech is a a freelance sports reporter living in the Twin Cities and a proud supporter of American corn farmers. When not working, Adam is usually writing about, thinking about or worrying about the Packers. Follow Adam on Twitter. Twitter .
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Nice write-up. I agree with you that he’s strictly a NT, and the real benefit to drafting him for the Packers is being able to play Raji at LDE and Jenkins at NT.
Most mocks seem to have him in the middle-end of round 2. I just can’t believe that. He’s a 1st rounder IMO, specially in a weak draft with a lot of teams switching to the 3-4. He’s better than Jesse Williams because he can get more of a pass rush and is less raw. If the Packers can get either Williams or Jenkins in the 2nd round I’ll jump for joy.
I think Jenkins’ stock is rising. I’ve seen him going to Pittsburgh in the mid 1st round in some mocks.
I think its falling… Seems he was a 1st rd lock earlier, now that teams are looking more closely their realizing his flaws. I think he goes mid 2nd and I doubt Thompson would even take him in the 2nd. He has bust written all over him IMO.
“but how many dimensions do you need when you’re 350 pounds?”
Seems to me he has most of them.
yah, or could conversely be said just one dimension: big
We already have a slow fat slob who cannot rush the passer or stop the run and his name is Raji. One good year out of three. Raji, what a total disappointment.
Remember back to that Giants night game when Manning, time after time, stepped into a nice little pocket and completed pass after pass.
Raji’s job was to make sure there was no pocket to step into. He got his arse kicked all night long.
Since there are not a lot of QBs and RBs that are first round ready, I got to believe that these big men will fill those spots. I would be surprised if big guys like Jenkins, Hankins and Richardson fall out of the first round.
I have read some scouting reports on him that absolutely rip him to pieces. In essence, the conclusion was that he would be massively overdrafted by some team that loves his size in round one, instead of round 3-4 where he ‘deserves to go by his tape’.
Hard to know if the poor reports are accurate (bad weight, poor conditiooning, unmotivated, not strong for his size, large bust factor). Maybe it is put out by someone who wants him to slip a bit. It can be hard to trust reports sometimes, especially bad reports.
and why would we want this fat slob? We’ve got Jolly coming back or did you forget that?
Next year we can look for Pickets replacement not this year.
Did you not realize we have 7 picks and a ton of needs. Can’t waste one this year on a development player. We need 7 playmakers this year.
1) Nothing has been decided yet on Jolly, nor does anyone know how he would be after being gone for 3 years.
2) You don’t draft a veteran’s replacement the same year they are leaving (how many rookies are good enough to start?), you do it a year beforehand, and that is what TT likes to do.
3) A first round pick is not a development player.
4) He would not be Pickett’s replacement anyway – Jenkins is not going to play DE.
5)Having said all of that, I wouldn’t take him either. I would, however, be looking for a 3-4DE as a top priority.
Developmental player was probably a poor word choice on my part. Should have said that it seems to take D-linemen a bit longer to develop compared to other positions.
I think Pickett will play 2 more yrs and he played NT this yr. Raji moved around not Pickett… Jolly is an unknown to some degree but if a QB can come back after 3 yrs off a DE should be able. By all accounts Jollys in good shape.
Agree need true 34 DE not another NT.
I’d rather see the TALL Field Goal blocking DE instead of this guy. At least the DE fits a need and will contribute on ST right away.
Hunt is not a good 34 DE fit. He’s far more at 43 DE. More Jared Allen (6’6 270) than Richard Seymour (6’6 310). Wouldn’t touch Hunt for a 34 D.
Scouting report says all you need to know. Top heavy, bad pad level and lacks balance. The guy will get handled by NFL OG or C that play w good leverage. Don’t bothet drafting him till 3rd or later. Guys that are top heavy will not be able to play w leverage. Need NT that are thick in legs and hips, not on top!
bad pad level = kiss of death
If he’s drafted by us, it’s going to be to replace Pickett. His only pass rush move is a bull rush, but I’m skeptical how effective he would be.
“tendency to get wiped out by double teams.” No thanks. We already have one Raji, don’t need two.