Jordan Jenkins seeking to improve draft standing at Senior Bowl

FAIRHOPE, Ala. -- On more than one occasion, Jordan Jenkins simply burned past the player tasked with blocking him. Jenkins sped past one lineman for what would have been an easy sack. He later did the same move again with success. There were additional times when Jenkins seemed to have the advantage when squared up man-to-man.

But with his successes of the day pointed out, all Jenkins could think about was an early mishap. He thought he had his man beat, which in this case was Baylor offensive tackle Spencer Drango. Instead, Jenkins' cleat slipped, and he fell to the Fairhope Stadium turf. That was one of his takeaways from an otherwise superb outing in his first Senior Day practice at Fairhope Stadium.

That kind of demeanor should continue to help him as he looks to impress NFL scouts, coaches and general managers in practice and in interviews.

"I want people to know I'm a respectful person," Jenkins said. "I was brought up as a military brat, and there's a certain decency in how you do things. You do things you're not supposed to get rewarded for. It's what you're supposed to do. I'm a guy who's going to compete, compete, compete and find a way to be as impactful as possible."

Jenkins' professional football journey has begun, and it involves Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley leading his South team in Saturday's Senior Bowl. It's the first time Jenkins has been able to get a feel for how an NFL coaching staff interacts with its players.

It's different for Jenkins, who, just like any draft hopeful, is being forced to learn fast what it's like to practice at an NFL speed.

"It's something I really needed," Jenkins said. "I was pretty raw coming out of high school. I'm still pretty raw in college. I really needed hands-on coaching. I really think I'm going to get it this week. Playing that Sam (linebacker) technique, I was a little bit nervous at first. But after getting out there and going through the swing of things, I feel I can adjust to that as a Sam backer in a 4-3 pretty well."

In attendance for Tuesday's practice were his parents, Ronald and Phyleshia, who are in the process of moving to Houston. In fact, Jenkins has met with the Houston Texans, with his parents both mentioning how ideal it would be for Jenkins to be drafted by them.

Ronald, who spent 22 years with the U.S. Army, was pleased with his son's first practice, even though he did notice some areas that need to be addressed.

"I was impressed with some of the things he did," Ronald said. "I'm kind of hard on him, I always see room for improvement. I saw some different things he didn't do during the course of the year at Georgia. He was utilized a little differently at Georgia -- D-tackle, D-end, outside linebacker. Now, it's finally good to see him to play outside and a little Sam (linebacker)."

Jenkins dropped into coverage when called for and tried out some new techniques during team drills. While he's learning a lot of new things in a short time period, Bradley noticed Jenkins for his hustle on the field.

While Jenkins might be taking time to pick up the concepts Jacksonville's coaches are instilling, Bradley saw a fast football player on the field.

"That's what we're looking for -- guys that can play fast regardless of what's going on in their mind," Bradley said.

Ronald believes Jordan has much more developing to do and that "there's still a lot better football in him." The talent is undeniable, considering Jenkins totaled 59 tackles, four sacks and 12 quarterback hurries during the 2015 season.

Jenkins is considered a second-day prospect and is looking to upgrade his standing with a good showing at the Senior Bowl, along with impressive performances at his pro day and at the NFL Scouting Combine.

"I have to show my athleticism and show I can be comfortable in coverage," Jenkins said. "And really showcase some more pass rush moves and show my athleticism and quickness."

This story was originally published January 26, 2016 at 7:46 PM with the headline "Jordan Jenkins seeking to improve draft standing at Senior Bowl ."