April 30, 2001
By PAT YASINSKAS
Staff Writer
Charlotte Observer
If Kris Jenkins doesn't make it as a football player, he might be able to make a fortune with his miracle diet.
"I was 320 (pounds) a second ago. I was 315. A second ago, I was 310," Jenkins said Saturday.
As rapid as that might sound, it may not be as quick as Jenkins' emergence from a mediocre college football player into a second-round NFL draft choice. That path became complete (in the 2001 draft), when the Panthers used the 44th overall pick on Jenkins, a Maryland defensive tackle.
That's a pretty lofty perch for a player, who wasn't even considered an NFL prospect entering his senior season. Although Jenkins was a starter as a sophomore and junior, he wasn't very productive. But that all changed with a breakthrough senior year.
Coaches and friends had been telling Jenkins he wasn't living up to his potential for several years, but the message wasn't getting through.
"A lot of people were telling me that, but I think that it really took me looking myself in the mirror which is kind of hard to do," Jenkins said. "I just took the time and looked in the mirror to see what I was doing wrong. I just corrected it."
Jenkins recorded 62 tackles and had a team-high eight sacks as a senior.
"I just started to realize the game was mental," Jenkins said. "It became more of a mental game. I mean, everybody has the tools as far as being fast, strong and big. But it takes that mental edge to do more than what your opponent can do. I think that it was just a matter of me realizing that I had the tools to do it."
But scouts and NFL coaches didn't truly buy into Jenkins' potential until he turned in a stellar performance at the Senior Bowl in January. That's also where Jenkins, who played his senior season at 305 pounds, was told he'd have to put on weight. That didn't take long.
"Since I'm at 320 right now and I don't want to gain any more weight, I'm sticking to a diet of salads, vegetables and fruits. I've left the red meats alone so I can stay at this weight. If I want to put on weight, I'll go to the potatoes and the red meats and whatever I have to eat. If I have to eat three or four times a day, I'll do that just so I can put the weight on."
Jenkins made a fast climb up draft boards in recent weeks and is viewed as a run-stuffer. The Panthers also signed free agent Brentson Buckner before the draft, and he should challenge Tim Morabito for a starting job. Jenkins also should get plenty of playing time because the Panthers like to rotate defensive linemen.
"We've talked an awful lot about the big defensive tackles," coach George Seifert said. "He was the best big defensive tackle that we felt was available at that particular time."
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THE JENKINS FILE
Born: Aug.3, 1979 Hometown: Ypsilanti, Mich. Height: 6-foot-4 Weight: 320 College: Maryland Position: Defensive tackle Highlights: As a senior, he started at strong side defensive tackle and made 62 tackles. He led Maryland with eight sacks and had 18 quarterback pressures. Finished career with 154 tackles, 9.5 sacks and 24 stops behind the line of scrimmage while making 27 starts. Personal: Kinesiology major. Was an all-conference player at Belleville High in Ypsilanti. Also lettered in basketball and track in high school.
