With the 49th overall pick (2nd round) in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select DT Kris Jenkins.
Jenkins was part of the National Champion Michigan Wolverines, and addresses a need for the Bengals along the interior.
Jenkins is a twitched up athlete who has the potential to bring some dynamic playmaking ability to a defensive line. His athleticism makes him an ideal gap penetrator. And in these instances, he is able to shrink himself down to squeeze through. Though he isn’t the biggest guy, I was pleasantly surprised with how well he was able to fall off of blocks when defending the run. His twitch then allowed him to redirect and make a play on the ball carrier. Along with his burst and bend, Jenkins has a high motor. He never gives up on plays, and can step up and make a play late if things have broken down.
Jenkins has the tools and motor to be an impact player at the next level, but is currently lacking the technical refinement that is necessary to succeed against the best competition. This lack of development contributed to his lack of production at the college level.
At the very least, his athleticism gives him a bit of value as a rotational player, while his play against the run is reliable enough. But the Bengals will be looking for the ceiling, not the floor. There is some risk here, but Jenkins has a lot of upside, if he can make the necessary adjustments.
With the Bengals having recently signed Sheldon Rankins to pair up with BJ Hill, the pressure won’t be on Jenkins to try and do everything all at once. The Bengals are in a good spot to give him the right amount of rotational snaps that will help with his development, while not going overboard to the point that it will hinder his development.
