Bengals continue using the Michigan pipeline with their second round pick in the NFL Draft
For the third year in a row, the Cincinnati Bengals take a defensive player from the Michigan Wolverines near the top of the NFL Draft. Cincinnati kept the Blue and Maize love alive by making defensive tackle Kris Jenkins the 49th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. These Cincinnati Bengals have made it well […]
For the third year in a row, the Cincinnati Bengals take a defensive player from the Michigan Wolverines near the top of the NFL Draft.
Cincinnati kept the Blue and Maize love alive by making defensive tackle Kris Jenkins the 49th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
These Cincinnati Bengals have made it well known how much they value winning college football players, and that definitely includes players from the defending national championship team.
Defensive back Dax Hill was Cincy's first round pick in 2022. Cornerback DJ Turner II joined him one year and round later. Now, Jenkins joins his former Wolverines to help bolster the Bengals' defensive line.
Cincinnati adds a well-rounded interior linemen in Kris Jenkins
Jenkins, who's the son of former Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Sr., is coming to Cincinnati at a great time. The Bengals lost DJ Reader in free agency and needed fortifications to help stop the run. That's Jenkins' specialty, and he's done it at multiple techniques.
Jenkins' 13.2% run stop rate over the last two season was the highest out of the top defensive tackles in this class according to Pro Football Focus. His 2023 run stop percentage alone ranked in the 96th percentile.
Winning as a pass rusher isn't Jenkins' strength, but he's no slouch at it either. His pass rush grade against true pass sets in 2023 ranked in the 94th percentile, per PFF. He needs to turn those wins into sacks more often at the next level. He only produced four sacks at Michigan.
Jenkins is ranked as the 44th overall prospect in this draft class and third overall defensive tackle by A to Z Sports NFL Draft analyst James Foster. Here are his top attributes:
- Shifty & explosive athlete with 34 inch arms
- Shoots his hands into the blocker's frame & establishes early control
- Counters with a fluid inside-spin move
- Effective 2-gapper. Maintains control of the block as he peeks into gaps
- Pursuit speed to track down mobile QBs
Five defensive tackles went off the board in front of Jenkins after only two were taken during the first round. Jenkins as the eighth DT off the board makes him even more valuable than expected.
Jenkins is a 3-technique by trade who has dabbled in 5-technique as well. The Bengals need snaps at both spots with Sheldon Rankins and B.J. Hill running the show as starters. Jenkins should get run in their odd-front packages as the third interior player, which is when he'd see time at 5-tech. Don't count him out two-gapping inside the guards, either. He can pretty much do it all.
Cincinnati likely isn't done adding to the defensive line, but Jenkins is a solid starting point.
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