The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hit a home run in the third round of last year's draft when they drafted Alex Smith, a Stanford product and the son of a former NFL player. The Bucs are hoping that same formula works their 2006 fifth-round pick: defensive end Julian Jenkins.
Jenkins, a hard-working defensive end who broke out with a big senior season at Stanford, is the son of former Miami Dolphins running back Ed Jenkins. He is also the newest Buccaneer, having been selected with the 156th overall pick on Sunday afternoon.
Tampa Bay has now devoted two consecutive picks to the defense after using all three of its first-day selections on offense. The Bucs picked Penn State cornerback Alan Zemaitis in the fourth round.
The 6-3, 273-pound Jenkins started at defensive tackle for the Cardinal in 2004 but he moved to right defensive end as a senior and produced a 50-tackle, nine-sack season. Overall, in four seasons at Stanford, two as a starter, Jenkins played in 42 games with 23 starts and produced 130 tackles, 16.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.
Already big enough to play end in a 4-3 scheme, Jenkins has room to grow and is adept at power-rushing techniques. Not a one-dimensional pass-rusher, he is also stout against the run and able to make plays traffic.
Jenkins won Stanford's outstanding freshman award after playing in nine games with one start. He was a reserve end as a sophomore, contributing 2.5 sacks. He hails from Atlanta where he played his prep ball at the Woodward Academy and was named the Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year.
Jenkins would surely be thrilled to equal the success of his former Stanford teammate. Smith started 10 games as a rookie and became a staple in the team's frequently-used two-TE set. His 41 receptions ranked second among all NFL rookies in 2005.
Though the draft is nearing the sixth round, the Bucs still have five picks remaining. They will make two selections in the sixth round and three in the seventh.
