HB Rashad Jennings of Liberty
Stats
NFL.com Scouting Report
"Overview: A Walter Camp All-American who transferred from Pittsburgh after a successful freshman season (411 rushing yards) to be closer to his father, who suffers from diabetes. Jennings had surgery on a broken pinky finger in early September last season, but still rushed for 1,500 yards (his third consecutive 1,000-yard season) with his bruising yet nimble running style. The twice-named Big South Offensive Player of the Year also showed some versatility by making 24 receptions in 2008. Had an arm span of 32 inches and a hand span of 10 3/8 inches at the combine."
"Positives: Good size with well-developed upper body. Played in part-time zone read offense, sometimes in I-formation. Good vision, able to change directions using quick feet. Can stiff-arm and run through tacklers in the open field by lowering his pads. Very good second gear once in the open. Runs tough inside, able to lean forward for additional yards. Looks natural catching the ball out of the backfield. Will keep his feet churning after contact and fight for the first down or goal line. Can hit an inside hole quickly. Surprisingly quick stop-start if the hole is not there immediately."
"Negatives: Played against a lower level of competition, although he had one year of experience in the Big East. Runs loose; must consistently keep the ball high and tight to prevent fumbles. Only gets in the way as a blocker, giving marginal effort. A bit stiff in the hips, and is not overly shifty. Runs a bit tall, which will leave him open to big hits in the NFL. Must sink his hips when cutting."
Sirius Radio Comments
On Sirius radio NFL Ch. 124, they were talking about draft steals and they brought Jennings up. I will quote this as best as i can.
"And of course Rashad Jennings. You know what the upside of him is.....Fred Taylor."
I've been thinking about this. Jennings does have some similarities to Taylor, one of which is the willingness to hit the pile and another is a deadly stiff arm. After watching some footage on him, I am even more astonished that he dropped to the 7th round and even more grateful that he will be playing for my team. It doesn't matter, he found a home. He will make the team and he will prosper. He may even bump Greg Jones back to full-time FB. Just watch for yourself, the guy is the real deal.
Jennings is now widely considered the number one steal of the draft. The Liberty HB was given a late second to early fifth round grade. That alone shows how widely the views range. With the lesser competition playing too big a factor with NFL front offices, Jennings slipped to pick 41 of the 7th round.
Jennings Jr. and Sr. year Highlights from Liberty
Jennings-One of the Good Guys
According to Jennings, NFL scouts have questioned his accomplishments playing against lesser competition at Liberty. He explains his decision to play there was a selfless one. After his freshman year at Pitt, where he played ahead of NFL draft prospect LeSean McCoy, Jennings' father became a leg amputee as a result of his battle with diabetes. After watching his mother travel 12 hours to and from Pittsburgh to watch him play, Jennings decided to transfer to Liberty, which is 10 minuntes from his home. "If you do the right things, then no one will be able to stop you," says Jennings. Link
Jennings has met MJD and Fred Taylor-two Jaguars greats at HB
When Rashad Jennings worked out at Perfect Competition in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., this spring, he got an introduction to life at an NFL training camp. Jennings was at the training facility with a number of big-name NFL players, including Maurice Jones-Drew, Thomas Jones, Fred Taylor, Frank Gore and Chad Johnson. He would run simple errands for the players, making sure they had water after workouts and helping to carry equipment from the fields. That's no different than being a rookie at an NFL camp, where even the first-round picks spend time toting the veterans' helmets and shoulder pads from the practice field to the locker room. In return, Jennings asked for one thing ??? advice. "I wanted to learn how to handle on-the-field and off-the-field problems," Jennings said. "Wanted to know how they took care of their bodies. They've been teaching me a lot. "They all accepted me as a little rookie, befriended me. I was trying to get their respect." Link
Rashad Jennings Benching 395 lb.'s
Rashad Jennings has given me yet another reason to root for the Jaguars.
-Brandon Clark
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