Jelani Jenkins, LB, Florida Gators: 2013 NFL Draft Player Profile

November 10, 2012; Gainesville FL, USA; Florida Gators linebacker Jelani Jenkins (3) returns a blocked punt for a touchdown against the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Florida won 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Height: 6’0″

Weight: 243 pounds

Drafted By: Miami Dolphins (4th round, 104th overall)

40 Yard Dash: DNP

Bench Press: 27

Vertical Jump: DNP

Broad Jump: DNP

2012 Statistics

Career Highlights (via Florida athletic site)

CAREER:

Appeared in 36 games, including 31 starts, and recorded 182 tackles, 109 solo and 16.5 for loss, 6.0 sacks, seven pass breakups, three interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery…Three year letter-winner for the Gators…Declared for the 2013 NFL Draft.

HONORS:

2012 Butkus Award Preseason Watch List…Coaches’ Preseason All-SEC Third Team…Rotary Lombardi Award Preseason Watch List…2012 Phil Steele Preseason Second-Team Defense…2012 Athlon Preseason Second-Team Defense…Selected to the 2010 SEC All-Freshman Team…Named Fourth-Team All-SEC in Phil Steele’s 2010 Postseason Awards…Also earned a place on the 2010 SEC Academic Honor Roll.

2012:

Started the first two games of the year at the Will linebacker position before injuring his thumb, forcing him to miss three of the next four games…Returned full strength against South Carolina and started six more games…Despite only playing in nine games, Jenkins still finished ninth on the team in tackles (29), 19 were unassisted…Pulled down 5.0 tackles for loss on the year, 2.0 were sacks on the quarterback, good for a tie of fifth on the team… Recorded a season-high seven tackles against Louisiana, all unassisted, and was a team-high…Pulled in one interception against Florida State and returned it 14 yards…Tallied seven tackles,  tying his season-high, against Missouri, which included four solo stops and one sack for 11 yards…Finished the year with two quarterback hurries, one against Missouri and one against Jacksonville State…Also, returned a blocked punt 36 yards for touchdown with :02 remaining to defeat Louisiana.

2011:

Started 12 games at weakside linebacker, missing the Vanderbilt game due to injury…Finished the season third on the team in tackles (75) and second in breakups (6), adding 6.0 TFL (37 yards), 2.0 sacks (20 yards), three QB hurries, a forced fumble and a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown…Phil Steele’s Preseason All-SEC Second Team (LB)…Athlon Sports Preseason All-SEC Second Team (LB)…SEC Coaches’ Preseason All-SEC Third Team (LB)…Butkus Award Watch List (LB)…Led the team in tackles three times (FAU, Alabama, Florida State)…Recorded four tackles against Ohio State in the Gator Bowl…Tied his career high with a team-leading 11 tackles against Florida State, notching 2.0 tackles for a team-season-best loss of 21 yards including an 11-yard sack…Recorded 10 tackles against Furman, forced a fumble, and returned his first interception of the season 75 yards for a touchdown…Had four tackles and a pass breakup at South Carolina…Notched five tackles, one for a 2-yard loss, against Georgia…Registered seven tackles at Auburn, with a 2-yard TFL and a pass breakup…Recorded eight tackles at LSU…Notched a team-best nine tackles, one TFL, against Alabama…Had four tackles at Kentucky…Registered six tackles, including a 9-yard sack, a two pass breakups against Tennessee…Recorded two tackles and a pass breakup against UAB…Led the team with five tackles and added a pass breakup in the season opener against FAU.

2010:

Appeared in all 13 games, starting 11 (all but Tennessee and Alabama) at middle or weakside linebacker…Selected to the Freshman All-SEC Team…Named Fourth-Team All-SEC in Phil Steele’s Postseason Awards…Also earned a place on the 2010 SEC Academic Honor Roll…His 76 tackles on the season ranked second on UF’s defense and was the most among SEC freshmen and 21st overall in the SEC…His 51 tackles in SEC games ranked second on the Gators…Had at least six tackles in eight of Florida’s 13 games and at least eight tackles four times…Started six games at weakside linebacker and five games at middle linebacker…Credited with three tackles and a TFL vs. Penn State in the 2011 Outback Bowl…Paced the Gators at Florida State with nine tackles…Came up with four tackles in the victory over Appalachian State…Recorded a career-high 11 tackles and added one sack and two TFL vs. South Carolina which marked the first double-digit tackle game of his career…Graded out as a Champion at Vanderbilt as he led the Gators with eight tackles…Graded out as a Champion for his play vs. Georgia…Had four tackles (three solo) vs. Georgia and recorded the first pass break-up of his career, along with scooping up an Aaron Murray fumble and returning it 10 yards to set up Florida’s second touchdown of the game…Tipped pass by UGA’s Murray in overtime that was picked off by Will Hill…Made two tackles vs. Mississippi State…Registered six tackles and his first career interception which he returned 47 yards vs. LSU…Collected six tackles and added a quarterback hurry at Alabama…Set a then career-high with eight tackles, including a TFL, vs. Kentucky and graded out as a Champion…Earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors for his performance against Tennessee and graded out as a Champion…Had six tackles at Tennessee and recorded his first career sack, which was initially ruled a safety until overturned by instant replay…Collected six tackles vs. USF…Notched three tackles in the season opener vs. Miami University, when he made his first career start at weakside linebacker.

2009:

Dressed for all 14 games for the Gators, seeing action vs. Charleston Southern and Kentucky…Notched two tackles, including one for a loss, in his collegiate debut against Charleston Southern…Named to the SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll in Spring 2010.

Scouting Report/Player Notes

Jenkins has had some injury issues in 2012, likely keeping him in school for his senior season, but he is a very solid outside linebacker prospect who has an attacking mentality with great athleticism. As a sophomore, Jenkins had 75 tackles, six tackles for loss, and two sacks along with an interception returned for a touchdown. Loves to attack downhill, and can get pressure on the quarterback when he’s called upon. Another high school All-American, Jenkins has the ability to grow into one of the top outside linebackers in his class, and though he is undersized and susceptible to being swallowed at the line of scrimmage, his aggressive style of play is going to get a lot of notice from NFL scouts and make Jenkins an eventual starter at WLB in the NFL.

Video Highlights (via YouTube)