Kris Jenkins 'ready to show freaky nature' at NFL Combine
The Michigan Wolverines will be represented by 18 players at this year’s NFL Combine with defensive tackle Kris Jenkins having a chance to go almost as high as any of them. Coming into the week, multiple services have him graded as a second-round prospect.
Part of Jenkins’ evaluation is a lack of gaudy numbers, but that was never his role on the Michigan defensive line. Always a team-first guy, he addressed what his job was on the College Football Playoff National Championship team and what he’s looking to show this
“You want to get 10-12 sacks. That is the dream,” Jenkins said Wednesday in Indianapolis. “But after a while, you want to be the No. 1 defense in the country as well. And that’s where we talk about playing as a unit mentality. You want to be an impact player. And there was more on the field after watching film that we could have done, or opportunities we missed. But we’re focusing on having success as a unit more so than having success individually, and we’re going to do anything in our power to make sure that happens.”
Jenkins, who steadily bulked up to pair with his athletic traits, has a chance to show teams this week why he was one of Michigan’s key players. The focus is on putting up personal bests in all categories.
“Hopefully I get to prove everybody right and really show that freaky nature,” he said. “I’m just looking at all of [the drills]. If I PR in all of them, that’s a good day for me. From the numbers that I’ve been fortunate enough to have set, that’d be a pretty damn good day.”
Asked to describe how he’d pitch himself to NFL teams in meetings, Jenkins leaned on taking pride in being a team-first guy. Michigan taught many lessons, but that was among the most important.
“I’m a disciplined player,” Jenkins said. “I’m gonna get you whatever you need. You tell me to do something, I can. If you need me to be an impact player, I’m gonna do everything in my power to do that. If you need me to be a gritty trench player and do the dirty work, I’m gonna do whatever I can to do that.
“I’m gonna give you whatever you need out of me. I’ve learned to be humble. I’ve learned to be where my feet are. I’m going to impact and help the team in any way that I can.”
Jenkins is a two-time All-Big Ten selection (second team, coaches, 2023; third team, media, 2023; honorable mention, coaches and media, 2022) and appeared in 44 career games in Ann Arbor with 32 starts along the defensive line.
Jenkins was voted as a team captain this season and held down the middle of Michigan’s defensive line, often doing the dirty work and setting others up for success. Jenkins had 37 total tackles with 2.5 sacks this year to go along with a fumble recovery and an interception. His play earned him second-team All-American nods by the AFCA and FWAA and third-team recognition by the AP, The Athletic and CBS Sports.
