The Draft Spies (Vol. IV): Teven Jenkins

In order for offenses to be productive at any level (high school, college, the pros), they need a stout and physical presence on the line of scrimmage. A couple weeks ago, we looked at Ohio State guard Wyatt Davis. Now, we return to the offensive line well to look at one of the few physical, aggressive offensive tackle prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft: Teven Jenkins.

SPY 1: WHO is the prospect?

Teven Jenkins was born and raised in Topeka, Kansas. Jenkins was a triple-sport athlete playing football, basketball and baseball at Topeka High School. In his last two years, he earned All-State Athlete Honors in those sports. Jenkins was rated as the 21st best high school player in Kansas (MaxPreps), earning a three-star prospect rating. According to 247 Sports, Jenkins received scholarship offers from Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Louisville, Nebraska, and Missouri as a three-star recruit. Ultimately, he decided to play for Mike Gundy at Oklahoma State.

SPY 2: WHERE did he come from?

At Oklahoma State, Jenkins met and exceeded expectations. The only games he ever missed were when he opted out midway through the 2020 season to prepare for the NFL draft. (It was confirmed by Jenkins himself that he was dealing with back pain; at present we do not know the current impact of this injury.) He played 100% of games leading up to this past season. He mainly played right tackle, but did switch to left tackle for one game to fill in for an injured player, per ESPN. It is important to note that Jenkins has said he prefers the right tackle position and that he feels he is a better player there.

Jenkins told Sports Illustrated that his OL coaches at the college played a significant role in his growth as a player and person and that it helped him to crystalize his priorities. “When I first got here I was just taking it day by day,” Jenkins said of his arrival in the summer of 2016. “Lucky for me, I had some great coaches… like Coach Glass to push me to get to where I am right now. I’m really fortunate to have the talent that I have.”

SPY 3: WHAT are his attributes?

Few offensive line prospects in this year’s draft are as physical and aggressive in the trenches as Teven Jenkins. (The word that comes to mind is “Domination”.) Whether at tackle or guard, he uses all of his 6’6”, 320 pound frame to drive opponents out of the play, into the ground, or (more often than not) both. Play after play, the Oklahoma State product shows the natural skill and execution of a dominant lineman. According to Head Coach Mike Gundy,  “He [Jenkins] has tremendous feet. He’s got good leverage, he’s highly intelligent and his work ethic is getting better this year [2020].”

via GIPHY

As Jordan Reid of The Draft Network points out, he’s “a quick setter that’s… created a habit of establishing quick wins by striking his hands and controlling defenders”. Needless to say, he will block opponents from whistle to whistle and beyond.

However, his play style occasionally results in unnecessary penalties (see the WTD Analysis below). Additionally, he is not the most athletic lineman, which could lead to questions about his positional fit at the professional level (guard vs. tackle).

WTD Analysis: Oklahoma State vs. Texas (2020)

As a refresher, the WTD (or “What the Dickens”) Analysis is designed to evaluate individual player execution on a positive-negative scale (-1 to +1 by one-tenth intervals). (Note: Players can record a positive WTD score on negative plays, and vice versa.)

Jenkins’ performance this season against Texas is an accurate reflection of his overall play. He has a (net) positive impact on the offense, with the occasional mistake/penalty.

SPY 4: WHEN should he be drafted?

The general consensus among experts is that Jenkins will go somewhere in the late first round. Charley Casserly (NFL.com) recently mocked him to the Colts at 21, while Joe Marino (The Draft Network) has him going to the Jaguars at 25. Kyle Crabbs (TDN) and Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com) put him 29th to the Packers. Meanwhile, Mel Kiper Jr. (ESPN), Chad Reuter (NFL.com), and Zach Vaughn (Buffalo Fanatics) mock him to the Bills at 30.

SPY 5: WHY Jenkins is a fit for Buffalo’s offense?

With Dion “Schnowman” Dawkins firmly entrenched as the Bills left tackle, it could be ideal to have Jenkins anchor the right side. Both “-kins” would likely have it all covered. Jenkins presents balance in his game, as a run blocker and pass protector, and the Bills need such a skillset. It has also been noted by both teammates and coaches at OSU that Jenkins has a different gear for gameday and becomes a vocal leader when it’s needed the most. Thriving under stress and adversity are one of the main core concepts of “The Process”.  Therefore, Jenkins should fit the locker room like a glove.

DARKHORSE BONUS POINT: Prospect Fun Facts

• According to Jordan Reid of The Draft Network, Jenkins would be the first Oklahoma State offensive lineman selected in the first round since Russell Okung in 2010.
• He made the academic honor roll all four years in high school.

In closing, please follow The Buffalo Fanatics on all platforms, trust the process and go Bills.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.