Mike Elston raves about Kris Jenkins' high ceiling, dynamic abilities
Michigan defensive lineman Kris Jenkins is referred to as 'The Mutant' amongst his teammates and coaches due to the freakish strength and athleticism he possesses at his position.
Coming from NFL stock, this shouldn't come as a surprise as his father enjoyed a long career with the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets which included multiple Pro Bowl appearances.
With Jenkins deciding to return for another season and his hopes to increase his own NFL profile, he is entering a pivotal season with all eyes on him as the leader of the defensive line group.
His position coach, Mike Elston, raved about what Jenkins brings to the team but also realized that he can't do it alone, there is capable depth to help keep the rest of the group fresh throughout games.
"I think the ceiling is so high for Kris," Elston said on the latest episode of the In the Trenches podcast. "Much like Mazi. Kris is right now, with Mazi graduating and going off to the NFL, he's really taken on an incredible leadership role with the young guys. It's a talented position across the board. From Kris, to Mason to Rayshaun Benny, to Kenneth Grant, Cam Goode."
"There's five guys right now coming out of spring that can play winning championship-level football which we are excited about. You add some freshmen in there. Brought Alessandro Lorenzetti over from the O-line for good depth. Always stealing those talented O-linemen. A lot of them aren't talented enough to come over, but Zetti is. We brought in some freshmen with Trey Pierce and Brooks Bahr. It's a really good position inside."
Many of the defensive linemen have said during the offseason that creating a more effective pass rush is something the group wants to work on. The coaches view it similarly, too, as Elston would like to see Jenkins hone his craft in that regard.
That doesn't take away from the fact that Elston will continue to rave about his abilities.
"To go back to Kris, Kris is so talented," Elston said. "He's a technician. He's really good at block destruction. Whether it's a single block, a double-team, a power scoop, whatever. What he's really worked on in the spring and summer is the pass rush. We want to keep him on the field on third down. We want him to be a dynamic third-down pass rusher which is only gonna help his career moving forward. That's really what he's been focused on."
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