By the time he starts his senior season, though, Jenkins will have visited all the schools that interest him and his list will be much shorter. Jenkins doesn’t know exactly when he’ll get up to Chestnut Hill, but it’s on his list of things to do.
“I’ll go whenever I have a free weekend,” Jenkins said. “I’m going to get everywhere [on his list] this summer, but I’ll be driving so it’ll depend on when I can do it. I haven’t visited [BC], but I hear it’s really nice. I know some girls that play lacrosse up there and say the campus is real pretty. They’ve always had a strong program and [defensive line] coach [Keith] Willis has been recruiting me. I like him a lot, he’s very comfortable for me – he gives me a home feeling.”
Ultimately, that’s what will be the determining factor for Jenkins: where he feels the most at home. While it’s been said that Jenkins would prefer to play in the south because of the weather (from Virginia down, apparently), he says that location isn’t that important to him.
“Location’s nothing, really,” he said. “I sat down with my family and my friends and they said wherever I go they’ll support me. They’ll find a way to see every one of my games no matter where I go. It’s really a matter of where I feel at home. I’m looking to play for a great team that’s family-based – a team that makes you feel like you’re a part of a family.”
Originally scouted for both offense and defense, Jenkins says that now 99% of the schools with which he is in contact want him as a defensive tackle, a position he prefers.
“I’d much rather play defense,” he said. “But I know that can change and coaches might want me to play somewhere else. I’ve also heard about playing center or guard.”
Jenkins most recently visited Virginia, where he was impressed by the school’s campus and welcoming coaching staff. Jenkins says he “has to step on the campus first” before he decides which school will be his next home, which is why he’ll go out of his way over the next couple of months to get to every school he can.