Kris Jenkins

Noted for his leadership qualities in addition to his championship pedigree on the field, Jenkins was taken by the Bengals in the second round of April's draft ... He played in 44 career games (33 starts) at the University of Michigan, and culminated his stint in Ann Arbor as a team captain and second-team All-American who helped lead the Wolverines to a College Football Playoff National Championship in 2023 ... Totaled 113 career tackles, with 8.5 TFLs and 4.5 sacks, along with one INT, one PD and one FR ... Began his career as a rotational defensive lineman, then took over as a full-time starting DT entering his junior campaign and established himself as a tough run defender ... Key part of Michigan program that won three consecutive Big Ten Conference titles and made three straight trips to the College Football Playoffs from 2021-23 ... His father, Kris Jenkins Sr., played 10 seasons in the NFL (2001-10) as a DT for the Carolina Panthers and N.Y. Jets and was a four-time Pro Bowler.

Noted for his leadership qualities in addition to his championship pedigree on the field, Jenkins was taken by the Bengals in the second round of April's draft ... He played in 44 career games (33 starts) at the University of Michigan, and culminated his stint in Ann Arbor as a team captain and second-team All-American who helped lead the Wolverines to a College Football Playoff National Championship in 2023 ... Totaled 113 career tackles, with 8.5 TFLs and 4.5 sacks, along with one INT, one PD and one FR ... Began his career as a rotational defensive lineman, then took over as a full-time starting DT entering his junior campaign and established himself as a tough run defender ... Key part of Michigan program that won three consecutive Big Ten Conference titles and made three straight trips to the College Football Playoffs from 2021-23 ... His father, Kris Jenkins Sr., played 10 seasons in the NFL (2001-10) as a DT for the Carolina Panthers and N.Y. Jets and was a four-time Pro Bowler.

Career transactions:

Selected by Cincinnati in second round of NFL Draft (49th overall) on 4-26-24 ... Signed with Bengals on 6-13-24.

College highlights:

Played in 44 games with 33 starts over four seasons (2020-23) at Michigan.

2023—Voted a team captain ... Earned second-team All-America and second-team All-Big Ten honors ... Recorded 37 tackles (17 solos), with 4.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks, along with one INT, one pass breakup and one FR ... Tallied five stops in win over Ohio State in top-five matchup on Nov. 25 ... Registered two solo stops, including a sack for a loss of five yards, in College Football Playoff semifinal vs. Alabama on Jan. 1 ... Added two more tackles in CFP National Championship on Jan. 8 vs. Washington to help Michigan capture title.

2022—Started all 14 games ... Named honorable mention All-Big Ten ... Led Michigan defensive linemen with career-high 54 total tackles (29 solos) ... Had 3.5 TFLs and two sacks ... Tallied five tackles with a TFL on Oct. 29 vs. Michigan State ... Followed up with three solo stops, including a sack for loss of five yards, on Nov. 5 at Rutgers ... Had four tackles in CFP semifinal against Texas Christian on Dec. 31.

2021—Saw action in all 14 games with four starts ... Logged 22 tackles (eight solos) ... Posted five tackles on Sept. 11 vs. Washington, with a half-TFL ... Netted season-high seven tackles in CFP semifinal against Georgia on Dec. 31.

2020—Appeared in one game as a true freshman, making debut on Nov. 14 against Wisconsin.

High school:

Attended Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Md. ... Recorded 40 tackles, with 19 TFLs and 15 sacks, with five PBUs, three FFs and one FR for a TD as a senior in 2019 ... Named Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) Co-Defensive Player of the Year as a senior.

Personal:

Hometown is Olney, Md. ... Communications and media major at Michigan ... Father, Kris Jenkins Sr., was a second-round draft pick of the Carolina Panthers in 2001 out of the University of Maryland, and played 10 NFL seasons as a DT for the Panthers and N.Y. Jets; he was a two-time first-team All-Pro (2002-03) and a four-time Pro Bowler.

Last Updated July 2024