Jelani Jenkins – May 26, 2016
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Thursday, May 26, 2016
Linebacker Jelani Jenkins
(On how nice it is to start OTAs and practice) – “Oh it’s exciting. I’ve been looking forward to it for a long time and I think everybody’s just gelling. We’re just having a good time running around and getting used to communicating with different people. We haven’t had a chance to communicate with (people) full speed. It’s fun and it’s exciting to see the offense and what they’re doing. It’s just exciting to compete, in general.”
(On LB Kiko Alonso) – “Things are really well. I think (him and I) have done a good job of talking outside of football and just hanging out. Just to hang out and just to get to know each other and how we react to different things, I think is going to really help out on the field. I think we have a really good friendship already and you can tell out there, just in the first three days, that we’re clicking really well. It’s going to be fun.”
(On how long it takes for a linebacker to gain chemistry with another linebacker) – “I guess it depends on the combination but it’s not too difficult. We sit in the same meeting rooms and a lot of times, whoever the Mike is – the middle linebacker – they kind of make most of the calls. We just play off of him. It doesn’t take too long. Like I said, we try to do a lot of things off the field to just grow our friendship outside of football.”
(On what gives him confidence that this year will be another step forward for him) – “I think with experience, you just get the chance to play faster. That’s what we all want to do. I think what gives me confidence, mostly, is this scheme. I think it works well for, not just me, but a lot of guys. I think that we’ll be able to make a lot of plays and play fast. I have confidence in our coaches. I have confidence in the players we have around me, and (in) year four for me, I have confidence in myself. All of that together makes (for) a pretty good year.”
(On if he feels like he’s back to where he was) – “Yeah, I think so. Like I said, mentally I feel like I’m a step further just being my fourth year in the league – having the whole offseason not injured and not coming off the surgery and being able to really just focus on getting strength work (and) preparing better for the season. I feel good about where I’m at right now.”
(On hanging out with LB Kiko Alonso and if relationships matter just at his position group or amongst all teammates) – “I think it’s all teammates but me and LB Kiko (Alonso), we’ve been playing some Call of Duty. We’ve actually gone out to eat a little bit. He lives right near me. He lives by the beach. We just hang out. We have a lot of time off with this phase, so we get a chance to just kick it. It’s not just Kiko (Alonso). (I hang out with) LB Koa (Misi), LB Spencer (Paysinger), the rookies, (LB Zach) Vigil, all of them. So I think we have a really close group and I think that’s going to transfer to the field.”
(On who is better at Call of Duty?) — “I’m the best. I think they know that.” (laughter)
(On his impressions of Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph in the last couple of months) – “VJ (Vance Joseph) is brilliant. That’s the one thing I can say. He’s brilliant and he’s passionate and you can feel it. I think he commands the defense and when he’s in front of the room, everyone’s listening. He has a great track record and he obviously knows what he’s talking about. I think we’re learning a lot and understanding just the why behind why we do things. I think he’s definitely the right guy for the job.”
(On if anyone has stood out to him during this first week of OTAs) – “Yeah, a lot of guys. I think that whole offense is moving pretty (well) these last couple of days. It’s exciting to see what they’re going to do. I think the Pro Bowl d-line that we have; they’re going to cause some destruction. I think just all over the field, guys are just hungry. I like our receiving corps. I think WR DeVante (Parker) is going to make a big step forward this year. I’m excited to see what he’s going to do. I could go down the list of guys. I don’t want to just single one person out.”
(On his thoughts on the defensive line) – “I think they’re doing (well). They’re doing pretty (well). They’re playing fast. There’s not a lot that we can do now with(out) pads on, but they’re obviously ready to go.”
(On what his motivation was behind finishing he degree) – “Football doesn’t last long. I mean I was taught that at a young age so that was my motivation. It was never an option not to go back for me. When I decided to leave early, I was always planning on coming back and finishing as soon as possible. I tried to eat away at it every year, every offseason, and finally got it done. I’m excited about it.”
(On if Head Coach Adam Gase challenged him before practice by talking trash) – “Yeah, (he) and (Linebackers) Coach (Matt) Burke, they always go back and forth talking trash. He’s always laughing when they get us with a good play and the linebackers are out in space or something like that. We just have some healthy competition going back and forth between offense and defense. It makes us all better at the end of the day.”
(On DT Ndamukong Suh’s presence and if it matters to him if Suh is present for OTAs and offseason workouts) – “We definitely feel his presence when he’s here. We have all the confidence in the world that, Game 1, he’s going to be ready to go, whatever he does. There’s no mal-intent. We’re excited when he’s here. When he’s not here, we know he’s doing his thing.”
(On how he would compare his graduation to some of his accomplishments) – “Graduation was big. That was something I’ll never forget – long-lasting. It took a long time to do it and it took a lot of hard work. I’d say that’s up there with just getting drafted. In general, that was a big accomplishment. But getting that degree, which I finally saw, it came in the mail like a day ago, that’s a pretty big accomplishment in my book. I put that almost number one.”
(On where he’s going to put the degree) – “I’m going to hang it up at home back in my permanent house, back where my mom (is), back in Maryland.”
