STRENGTHS - Jenkins shows excellent instincts off the ball, as he times his jump well and is consistently one of the first men moving at the snap. When he is able to win the edge, he demonstrates the balance, agility and quickness to turn the corner and finish at the QB. On zone drops he displays effective foot quickness, flexibility and change of directions, and looks smooth operating in space. He has experience on special teams and should be able to help in this regard early in his career.
WEAKNESSES - Despite often being the first man off the ball, Jenkins struggles to take the edge because he does not have the explosiveness or speed off the ball to beat his man to the POA. Often times, he gets upright at the snap, leaving him exposed to blockers playing with more effective leverage. Once locked onto, he does not display the strength or hand usage to disengage with blocks, and is tied up and engulfed relatively easy by bigger blockers on the edge. When rushing the passer he gets limited push on bull rushes, and too often employs an ineffective spin move that lacks the explosiveness needed to create separation from his blocker. He also struggles against the run because of his inability to shed blocks, and when he is freed up in space he struggles to break down, often resulting in him diving for the runner's legs and whiffing. He suffered a Lisfranc injury in the first quarter of the first game of 2012, causing him to miss the rest of the college season, as well as post season all star games and combine workouts.
SUMMARY - After injuring his foot in the 2012 opener, Brandon Jenkins had the option to take a medical redshirt and return to Florida State for the 2013 season. He opted instead to enter the draft, which based on his play in 2011 is in my opinion a mistake. He is a tweener athlete that lacks the bulk to play DE like he did at Florida State, as well as the speed to play effectively in space as an OLB. While he looks fluid on zone drops, he lacks the long speed to stay with receivers and backs in space, and lacks the experience and instincts to contribute as an OLB at this point. He is also very inconsistent rushing the passer, as he lacks quick twitch explosiveness off the ball and shows limited hand usage and power at the POA. In order to make an NFL roster in the fall, Jenkins will need to prove his value on special teams, as he is clearly not physically or mentally ready to play defense at the next level.