Recruiting on the South Plains | 2013 LB/DE Malik Jenkins Commits to Texas Tech

PLAYER: Malik Jenkins

POSITION: Linebacker / Defensive End
HEIGHT: 6'3"
WEIGHT: 225
FORTY: 4.59
HIGH SCHOOL: Ennis (Ennis, TX)
VIDEO: Clip 1
RECRUITING SERVICES: Rivals 5.4 | Scout | ESPN 74 | 24/7 Sports 83
CUMULATIVE RANKING: 63.86
VTM PROFILE DATE: January 27, 2013

OFFERS | Houston, North Texas, Rice, Stephen F. Austin, Washington St. and Texas Tech

STATS | The only thing I could find was Jenkins' junior statistics, which was 47 tackles and 10 sacks. I'll keep on the lookout for senior stats.

THE PLAYER SPEAKS | Thanks to DMN's Mike Graham, via RRS.com's Will McKay, we get a bit from Jenkins:

"I grew up watching Tech, wanted to play for Tech, and now I have that dream coming true," Jenkins told RedRaiderSports.com‘s Will McKay. "It’s pretty cool meeting all the players. It felt like a family already just being out here for two days. It’s really exciting. Especially me being from the place that Graham Harrell came from. Everybody is happy about the decision that I’ve made and they’re going to support me no matter where I go. I really committed because I love Tech. I had never been to Tech, never been to a college football game anywhere and Tech ended up being the place that I always imagined it would be, maybe even more."

SCOUTING REPORT | Tall and rangy, but Jenkins really does a pretty good of playing inside with some authority. I don't think I can really complain about that. I'm skeptical of the speed listed above, but he's fast enough to play linebacker. Jenkins is also listed anywhere between 205 and 225. Jenkins most likely did weigh in at 205 or so at some point and has probably added quite a bit of weight between camping as a junior to where he weighs today, probably in the 225 range. If Jenkins is closer to 225 then that makes more sense.

This might also mark a change in how the staff is looking for players and where Jenkins eventually ends up. Other than Will Smith, I don't recall a ton of linebackers that were in that 225 range coming out of high school. Plenty of hybrid defensive end types, but not a lot of linebackers. If Jenkins plays middle linebacker then this marks a pretty significant change in terms the type of player. Most of the freshman linebacker commits for Tuberville were in the 200 to 205 range out of high school.

Some players are late bloomers and that's probably an accurate description of Jenkins. I'd also add that Jenkins has an offer from Rice, which means that he's smarter than me.

Malik, welcome to Texas Tech and Git Your Guns Up!

The 2013 Class | I don't have time to update the table today, but I will update everything over the next couple of days.