NFL Draft Profile: E.J. Jenkins

Will the former Yellow Jackets receiver hear his name called in April?

Jackson Caudell | Mar 21, 2023

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As an NFL Draft prospect, sometimes traits matter more than production. Look no further than Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson who despite lacking the overall numbers of some of the other quarterbacks in the draft, might be the first quarterback off the board. Traits and projection will matter more to some NFL teams and that is why I think Georgia Tech wide receiver prospect E.J. Jenkins could hear his name called earlier than most think.

Jenkins measured in at his pro day last week at 6'6 245 LBS and more impressively, Jenkins had a sub-4.6-second 40-yard dash, 32-inch vertical jump, and 10-foot, 2-inch broad jump in his 6-6, 245-pound frame (Per Georgia Tech PR).

Putting up numbers like that and moving around the way he did certainly turned heads at pro day (all 32 teams had scouts or some sort of personnel there). Jenkins was crisp doing drills and catching the football as well.

I think E.J. Jenkins has had an impressive pro day today pic.twitter.com/syFI9gxLCR
— jackson caudell (@jacksoncaudell) March 16, 2023

It is safe to say that I think Jenkins stock is rising ahead of the draft, which is just a little more than a month away.

It has been a journey for Jenkins to get to this point and he was not always playing at the FBS level. From 2017-2020, Jenkins played at St.Francis (PA) and was a star at that level. He redshirted in 2017 and then put up modest numbers in 2018 (five catches for 52 yards) before bursting on the scene in 2019.

In his first big season, Jenkins hauled in 39 passes for 779 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging 20 yards per catch. With guys his size, they don't usually have a big yards per catch average, as they are used mostly in the red zone or they don't have the athleticism to make catches down the field. Jenkins can win one-on-one matchups down the field and you will see that once he arrives in Atlanta.

It was clear that Jenkins could play at a higher level and for the 2021 season, he transferred to the SEC to play for South Carolina. After catching eight passes for 117 yards and one touchdown, Jenkins decided to transfer for his final season of eligibility and landed at Georgia Tech.

In his first game as a Yellow Jacket, Jenkins was going up against one of the top defenses in the country in Clemson and showed what kind of threat he could be when matched up with a defender one-on-one.

Jeff Sims ➡️ EJ Jenkins@GeorgiaTechFB is back in it ‼️

https://t.co/tpqyJQq2YZ
— 247Sports (@247Sports) September 6, 2022

One thing to know when looking at Jenkins's numbers last season is how Georgia Tech played as many as four quarterbacks last season. Injuries had this position in flux for much of the season for the Yellow Jackets and it was hard to find any consistency in the passing game.

Jenkins caught 17 passes for 316 yards and three touchdowns while averaging over 18 yards per catch. His best game this season perhaps was against Florida State, when he hauled in three catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.

Georgia Tech wide receiver E.J. Jenkins — Is Georgia Tech wide receiver E. J. Jenkins being slept on in this year's NFL Draft? / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

One thing I keep coming back to when thinking about Jenkins and his draft potential is that he has not played with consistent quarterback room in the last couple of years since making the move up to the FBS level. South Carolina did not have a good passing attack in 2021 and Georgia Tech did not have one last year. It is easy to look at the box score and wonder why someone with his size and apparent athleticism is not doing more, but having poor quarterback play is the symptom of that in my opinion.

So when could Jenkins be drafted?

I think that day three is likely. Some teams could love his size and athletic ability and take him earlier than expected, but I think round six or seven is the most likely scenario. The talent is there to make an impact at the next level and I am excited to see where Jenkins ends up in April.

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