New York Giants Draft Prospect: DT Kris Jenkins

The Giants need some more defensive line depth. Jenkins, nephew of one-time Giant Cullen Jenkins, has the skill set to offer that.

Michigan defensive lineman Kris Jenkins (94) picks up the trophy to celebrate the Wolverines' 34-13 / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Kris Jenkins, DT

Height: 6’3
Weight: 299 lbs
Arm length: 34”
Wingspan: 79 ⅛”
Hands: 9 ⅜”
Class: RS-Junior
School: Michigan
Stats

MEASUREMENTS

40-yard-dash: 4.91
10-yard split: 1.7
Vertical jump: 30”
Broad jump: 9’7”
20-yard shuttle: 4.78
Bench press: 29

A former three-star recruit out of Our Lady Good Counsel High School in Olney, Maryland, where he was the 20th Maryland prospect and the 25th strong-side defensive end in the 2020 recruiting cycle. He is the son of long-time Carolina Panther and New York Jet Kris Jenkins, who was a four-time Pro Bowler as a defensive tackle. He is also the nephew of former New York Giant Cullen Jenkins.

Jenkins arrived on campus at Michigan weighing just 257 pounds, and he played the 2022 season at just 285. He had 44 career pressures at Michigan. He was a captain in Michigan’s 2023 National Championship winning season, where he appeared in 15 games. Heading into the 2023 season, Jenkins was ranked sixth on Bruce Feldman’s Freak List. Former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh told The Athletic that Jenkins was a “mutant of all mutants.”

He was known as a workout freak at Michigan, and Feldman’s placement in the top 10 substantiates that claim. Jenkins did very well at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine with an 87th percentile 40-yard dash, a 75th percentile 10-yard split, and a 94th percentile broad jump. He’s also versatile and can align all over the defensive front, as he did at Michigan.

Strengths

* Good size and reach - uses reach well at the POA
* Very good overall athlete with excellent immediate explosiveness
* Excellent lateral movement from a stagnant stance
* Good overall bend to avoid contact/bend through contact
* Solid upfield burst - stays low upon exploding out of stance
* Good quickness + strong/heavy hands
* Smart player with excellent read & react ability
* Quick ability to engage and shed - reactive quickness in the trenches
* Sits and anchors well in 1v1 situations
* Can anchor down well when he anticipates double teams
* Excellent overall play strength and force at the point of contact
* Exceptionally strong core with good lower body strength
* Active hands/low COG help to establish advantage vs. reach blocks - flows to the play side to close rushing lanes
* Reduced surface area for blockers to attain
* Gets narrow through tight crevices vs. stretch zone - hands + instincts/feel locate avenues of approach into the backfield
* Solid overall pass rusher
* Smooth arm over w/ lateral agility to quickly separate vs. run/pass
* Works down LOS quickly - low chest/COG
* Excellent pursuit with elite competitive toughness - never stops!
* Energy is through the roof
* Solid overall ability to bullrush
* Has pass-rushing plan and counters
--Flashed nasty inside spin Ohio State Q1 1:11; Washington Q2 11:24; Penn State Q4 2:31; Minnesota Q3 1:51
* Low hips + long arm technique and lower leg drive create good push into the pocket
* Solid ability/timing when twisting or gap-exchanging
* Two excellent games to help secure National Championship - Alabama/Washington 2023

[View more draft prospect scouting profiles.]

Weaknesses

* Lacks ideal girth for a defensive tackle
* He only has adequate foot speed through plays once he is out of his stance
* Struggled vs. JC Latham of Alabama
--Q1 9:49 TD run
--Also struggled vs. Iowa
* Can get tunnel vision and not anticipate the second blocker when aligned 4i and outward
--Caught off guard a few times, leading to him losing his responsibility
* Can get uprooted when he does not anticipate double teams
* Wasn’t very productive in college - only 8.5 tackles for a loss
*Failed to finish sacks often - only 4.5 in his career

Summary

Kris Jenkins is a solid overall defensive tackle who is sound as a run defender. His ability to maintain a low center of gravity while keeping his chest small allows him to maximize his explosiveness and ability to be disruptive into the pocket as a pass rusher. 

Jenkins’ ability to explode out of a stagnant stance with a low and controlled profile - and heavy hands - allows him to gain an advantage in the half-man relationship while providing little to no surface area for the blocker to contact.

He may not be the most sudden pass rusher when he’s out of his stance, but his ability to stay low, use bend, and string moves together allows him to create advantageous angles into the pocket, which does pressure the QB. Plus, he has a plan when he pass rushes and will take advantage of over-aggressive blockers with a variety of pass-rushing moves.

He is an elite competitor who doesn’t stop until the whistle is blown. He does a good job working through the LOS to penetrate zone rushing concepts, does well to read, react, and quickly shed blocks at the POA, and he was able to rise his level of play in the most important moments of a memorable season for Michigan. He will be an impactful IDL that can play across the LOS at the next level. 

GRADE: 6.29

Nick Falato's Draft Grade Chart / Nick Falato

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