Teven Jenkins Offers Strength and Versatility for Chiefs' Offensive Line
Teven Jenkins - OT, Oklahoma State
By the numbers:
6'6", 320 pounds.
Four pressures allowed in 2020.
Positives:
Teven Jenkins may have the strongest hands in this year's draft class. Once he gets ahold of his assignment, they're at his mercy. He's a bully of a player, generating good power with his hips and downright punishing opponents by driving right at them until the play is over. Jenkins is a better finisher than most 2021 linemen, ensuring that he gets the most out of each rep.
Jenkins has solid awareness and while he's not the most refined tackle, he does a good job remaining balanced for the most part and knows how to get leverage despite being a big player. He has spent time at left tackle and right guard in the past as well, making him an appealing option to teams who don't necessarily see him as a tackle long-term.
Negatives:
One of the reasons Jenkins may be viewed by some as more of a guard is his lack of elite athleticism. It does show up at times when facing quicker speed rushers. If Jenkins can't get his hands on them, he has a harder time winning the rep. Although his upper-body strength is impressive, he relies on it quite a lot.
With that said, concerns about Jenkins' range are overblown. They're valid, but certainly not to the point where he needs to change positions. He moves well for a man of his size and his tape is littered with examples of him winning against tough opponents both at the line of scrimmage and into the second level of the defense. Jenkins has certainly earned the benefit of the doubt there.
How Jenkins fits with the Chiefs:
With Mitchell Schwartz's future unknown, the Chiefs could be on the market for a right tackle this offseason. Lucas Niang, who opted out of his rookie campaign, would make a lot of sense to take that spot. Should he or Schwartz rejoin the team for 2021-22, the need for a player like Jenkins isn't as great. His experience at guard is a plus though and with a level of strength that many players spend their entire careers trying to get, he'd still be a solid option.
Final Thoughts:
If Jenkins doesn't work out as a starting tackle at the next level, it won't be because he wasn't able to win consistently. It all comes down to how he does when he isn't operating in a phonebooth and when he gets challenged by much quicker players. Teams who draft Jenkins are well within reason if they have a backup plan of kicking him back to guard. He grades out as a late-first or early second-round pick with immediate starting potential.
Read More: Arrowhead Report's 100 Players in 100 Days: A Kansas City Chiefs Draft Guide.
