Finding NFL Comparisons for Chicago Bears OT Teven Jenkins
Yesterday we found some NFL comparisons for Larry Borom and saw that there are prime examples of players with his profile and draft pedigree that turn into NFL assets. What do the athletic profile and draft capital say about the Chicago Bears tackle Teven Jenkins?
Below you can see how Jenkins compares to other tackles from past years.
Using this data, we can come up with a list of comparable players. The following players will hit the thresholds of these measurable traits.
6’5”-6’6”
308-319 pounds
5-5.2 40-yard dash
30-33” vertical
24 and up bench
103”-110” broad
7.6-7.77 3-cone
4.5-4.7 short shuttle
Using this list only, you get a list of 13 players drafted. The following offensive tackles have the same size, athletic profile, and were drafted in the first two rounds:
Jack Conklin, Ryan Ramczyk, Jawaan Taylor, Taylor Moton.
That is a respectable list to join.
Arm Length Debate
The big question with Jenkins looking at his profile is his length. Of that group, Conklin, Taylor, and Moton all pass over 34″ arms. Ramczyk is slightly longer than Jenkins, but is in the 33rd percentile, while Jenkins is in the 26th.
With that in mind, Ryan Ramczyk is the perfect comparison. They were separated by just seven picks in draft capital and come in with similar draft profiles. Both were expected to go higher, but a combination of medical questions and the length left them falling a bit lower.
For the New Orleans Saints, Ramczyk was the cap of a home run draft that also featured Marshon Lattimore and Alvin Kamara. For the Bears, Jenkins is expected to cap off the Justin Fields pick.
There are enough comparisons, but what is funny about the comparison is that Ramcyzk has spent his career as a successful right tackle. This is not to say that Jenkins will not do fine at left tackle, but while all accounts assume that he will make the move with Leno gone, there is the chance that Jenkins is an elite right tackle, but will take time to get up to speed to be a great left tackle.
Still, overall, having a lot of similarities to a player who has panned out to be a great NFL player is not bad. If the Bears drafted a future Ryan Ramcyzk in Jenkins, and a future Daryl Williams in Larry Borom, then they truly do have two starting tackles for the future.