The son of an NFL star from Ypsilanti who played with Eastern Michigan, Kris Jenkins Jr. cut his teeth seven miles down the road in Ann Arbor. And despite being a three-star prospect, Jenkins proved he was worth much more.
The physical freak quickly established he was going to outplay his recruiting ranking, and once he made his way into the starting lineup, Jenkins outshined even his defensive tackle partner Mazi Smith, who ended up being drafted in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys.
Jenkins came back for his senior year and was named a team captain, but nagging injuries kept him from reaching his full potential. The depth at the position helped the Wolverines to thrive despite Jenkins not being as explosive as he was in previous years, but he leaves Ann Arbor as a fan favorite and a national champion who never lost to rival Ohio State in his tenure with Michigan football.
And on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL draft, Jenkins followed in his father’s footsteps by going into the professional ranks. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round with the 49th pick. He joins Dax Hill, Brad Robbins, DJ Turner II and Chris Evans with the Ohio-based franchise south of Columbus.
In 2023, Jenkins had 37 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss, and an interception. He had more tackles in 2022 (54), but added two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss.
Jenkins was listed as No. 6 on Bruce Feldman’s annual “freaks list,” which highlighted the athletic prowess and ability that he had that other college football players don’t have.