Updated, 11:59 p.m. ET
For their second pick tonight and their third of the draft, the Jets went back to the defensive side and selected linebacker Jordan Jenkins of Georgia in Round 3 (83rd overall).
"I was overjoyed. My sister got videos," the enthusiastic Jenkins told Jets reporters on a late-night conference call. "I'm ecstatic. I'm excited. I didn't know who was going to pick me."
Or did he? Jenkins recalled for newyorkjets.com the conversation he had with head coach Todd Bowles after a private workout for the Jets.
"Coach Bowles told me I'd be seeing him pretty soon after the workout got done," he said. "I said, 'Hopefully so,' and he said, 'No, no, no, no. I will be seeing you soon.' I guess he kept his word on that one."
Jenkins (6'3", 259), a 22-year-old true senior, put together 12 games as Bulldogs co-captain during which he totaled four sacks, 10.5 tackles for loss, 59 total tackles, a pair of forced fumbles and 12 QB hits. As a result he was voted UGa's Defensive MVP and was invited to play in this year's Senior Bowl.
For his career he had 204 tackles, 19 sacks, 39 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles, and three recoveries. He played both in a two-point and three-point stance in the Bulldogs' 4-3 scheme.
At the NFL Combine he ran a 4.80-second 40 at the NFL Combine and was a top performer among 'backers in the vertical jump with a 36.5" leap. Then he turned in a 4.71 40 at his pro day.
"Jenkins is an outside linebacker," Bowles said tonight. "He can play Sam and Will, which is where he played in college." Is he more edge setter or pass rusher? Bowles was asked. "He's going to have to do both."
Perhaps this is a good omen: Jenkins is the Jets' 12th total draft choice from Georgia and the highest pick from the school since Mo Lewis came in also in the third round in '91 and became one of the most decorated Green & White LBs.
The third-round pick was announced by Kevin Mawae, the Jets' center from 1998-2005 and their 2001 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee. For the first time, the Round 3 selections are being announced by winners of the Payton award as well as team winners.
The Jets have held the 83rd pick in four previous drafts but traded it away in three of them. The only player they ever picked at No. 83 was end Bob Lacey out of North Carolina in 1964, who never played for them and played only one game in the NFL.
