Tennessee is reportedly expected to lose a piece of its loaded defensive line room, according to Matt Zenitz of 247Sports. Jayson Jenkins, a former three-star recruit out of New Jersey, is now expected to enter the transfer portal.
Jenkins was a part of the 2022 recruiting class. He appeared in six games for the Volunteers last season, and was trying to crack the rotation ahead of his redshirt sophomore season. The 6-6, 280 pound defensive lineman will now look for a new opportunity.
Jenkins generated a little buzz in spring ball, and drew praise from defensive line coach Rodney Garner.
“Jayson is just a blue-collar guy,” Garner said back in March. “He just comes to work every day with his lunchbox and he puts in the work, and you have seen that guy grow in leaps and bounds, incrementally. I mean, he truly has taken steps where he can really have a role on this defense, and I think he’s gained the respect of his peers, because nobody’s given him anything.
“He’s prideful about it. He loves this place. He wants to be here. I’m sure he could leave and go somewhere and probably would have had a lot more success with that, just like we had another young man leave before and go off to another school and did really well for them.
“So we’re happy that he’s staying and we’re excited about his expanded role that we expect from him this year.”
Those comments came nearly a month ago, and things have clearly changed since.
Tennessee is still going to have a chance to legitimately go ten deep up front, with Omari Thomas, Bryson Eason, Elijah Simmons, Dominic Bailey, Omarr Norman-Lott, Tyre West, Daevin Hobbs and Jaxson Moi. Jenkins was set to be deep in that pecking order once again, which figures to have played into his decision.
Jenkins is the second defender to leave Tennessee post-spring, joining linebacker Elijah Herring in the portal.
