Linedale, Texas- Junior running back Jordan Jenkins is impressed with how Arkansas coach Chad Morris communicates with him.
“I don’t think any other head coach has talked to me,” Jenkins said. “It means I matter to him and he takes time out of his day to talk to me as a head coach rather than sending the other recruiters to talk to me.”
Jenkins, 6-1, 200 pounds, of Lindale, Texas, visited Fayetteville for the Razorbacks’ 31-24 loss to San Jose State.
“I was definitely disappointed on how they performed,” he said. “Later on they did end up doing better, but I think they could’ve done that at the start.”
Despite the loss, Jenkins enjoyed his second visit to Arkansas.
“It was great,” Jenkins said. “It was my second time being there and I still loved the sights and everything. Being that was my first college game it was a good experience and all the fans were great.”
Jenkins rushed 273 times for 1,504 yards and 17 touchdowns and was named first team all-district as a sophomore. He has offers from Arkansas, Baylor, BYU and Louisiana-Monroe.
Being a bigger running back, Jenkins sees the eyes of defensive backs get big as he heads their way.
“DBs will go and tackle me and go get my legs, more power to them,” Jenkins said. “Some will literally just act like they're tackling me and put their hands on me and move out of the way which is kind of funny.”
There’s a reason why he’s a team captain as a junior.
“I don’t comment on Jordan first without first talking about how great of a kid he is,” Lindale coach Chris Cochran said. “Top notch. Everything you ask him to do, he does it to a T.”
Jenkins’ character helps on the field.
“That translates to the football player he is because if you tell him something, most of the time you just have to tell him one time and that’s it,” Cochran said. “You don’t have to re-coach Jordan Jenkins.”
When Cochran told him college coaches questioned his speed, Jenkins went to work and improved in that area. The hard work paid off with bests of 10.97 seconds in the 100 meters and 22.35 seconds in the 200 this spring.
“He got on the track and ended up being a regional qualifier in the 100 meter dash,” Cochran said.
Jenkins, who plans to visit Texas A&M on Oct. 27 and a Baylor game, has a 4.0 grade point average and has plans to major in computer science.
“My family we’re all basically computer geeks,” Jenkins said.