Fans want flash, coaches want muscle.
The Packers addressed offensive line depth in a big way with the 44th overall selection tonight, taking Mississippi State center Elgton Jenkins.
The 6-4, 310 pound Jenkins (pronounced Elton), has experience all across the line of scrimmage, starting 26 games at center for the Bulldogs in his career. He's also started five games at left tackle, two at left guard and one at left tackle. He's been the starting center for the past two seasons and was considered one of the top ranked snappers in the draft.
In his redshirt senior season last year, Jenkins played 773 total snaps, 369 in pass protection and didn't allow a single quarterback hit from his position. He played sack free through the first nine games and committed only one penalty. Don't forget, that's playing in the Southeast Conference which produced most of the top flight front seven players selected in round one like Quinnen Williams of Alabama and Josh Allen of Kentucky.
Jenkins wasn't highly recruited out of high school and redshirted his freshman year in Starkville but slowly worked himself into the starting lineup and eventually became the mainstay of one of the better lines in college football. By his junior season, Mississippi State ranked 11th in the nation in rushing yards per game while allowing the fewest sacks (13) in the SEC.
Last year, his offensive coordinator was Luke Getsy, the former Packers receivers coach who is returning to Matt LaFleur's staff as quarterbacks coach this season.
Southeast scout Charles Walls says Jenkins will start as a guard but his power and athleticism should translate to any position across the front and he should provide excellent competition across the board if not compete for the starting right guard position his rookie year.
The Packers are moving toward the zone blocking scheme for the run game this year under LaFleur, something Jenkins says he's familiar with having blocked in that system with the Bulldogs.
It's not a flashy pick but building depth on both lines of scrimmage should help the entire team.