2023 Football Roster
Roster
Jenkins, Jayson

Jersey Number 97
Jayson Jenkins
- Position:
- DL
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-6 / 280
- Class:
- Redshirt Freshman
- Hometown:
- Bordentown, N.J.
- High School:
- Notre Dame (N.J.)
Bio
CAREER HONORS
2023 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll2022 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll
CAREER
Hard-working and talented defensive end who completed his third season with the program in 2024 … Made significant strides under coach Rodney Garner, who called him one of the hardest working and most improved players … A consistent contributor on the defensive line unit who enjoyed the best year of his career in 2024 ... Played in 20 career games, totaling 15 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, two sacks and one forced fumble in his Tennessee career … Two-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll.2024 - RS-SOPHOMORE
Played in all 13 games ... Contributed to Tennessee's deep defensive line rotation and showcased the ability to shift momentum as a pass rusher ... Finished the season with a career-best 3.5 TFLs and two sacks ... Posted a pair of tackles in road win at Vanderbilt (11/30) in regular-season finale ... Played a season-high 28 snaps and had two tackles, including half a sack in win vs. UTEP (11/23) ... Had a strip sack in win over Mississippi State (11/9) that ended the Bulldogs opening drive of the second half and led to a UT field goal ... Finished with half a TFL at Arkansas (10/5) ... Made the most of five defensive snaps in road win at No. 15 Oklahoma (9/21), setting career highs with 1.5 TFLs and half a sack to go along with a safety in the second quarter as part of a dominating effort by UT's defense ... Made one tackle in shutout win vs. Kent State (9/14) ... Logged 13 defensive snaps in season-opening win over Chattanooga (8/31).2023 - RS-FRESHMAN
Saw action in six games and gathered four tackles and one tackle for loss … Played 13 snaps vs. No. 17 Iowa in Citrus Bowl (1/1) and did not record any stats … Recorded one tackle apiece in games vs. UConn (11/4), UTSA (9/23) and Austin Peay (9/9) … Also had one tackle for loss vs. Austin Peay.2022 - FRESHMAN
Made one tackle in shutout win vs. Kent State (9/14) ... Played in one game as a true freshman before earning a redshirt … Made his collegiate debut in the season-opener against Ball State (9/1), posting two total tackles.HIGH SCHOOL
Lengthy defensive end prospect out of New Jersey by way of Notre Dame High School … Enrolled at Tennessee in June 2022 … Considered a three-star prospect by 247Sports.com, On3.com and Rivals.com … Ranked the No. 17 overall prospect in the state of New Jersey by Rivals.com, No. 19 by On3.com and No. 25 by 247Sports.com … Logged 32 tackles, 5.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery as a senior … Member of the NJ.com Top 50 and Times of Trenton All-Area team … Committed to the Vols in late January 2022 … Coached by Sean Clancy.PERSONAL
Full name is Jayson Anthony-Neimiah Jenkins … Born on April 22, 2004, in New Brunswick, New Jersey … Son of Kimberly and Jerome Jenkins … Has two brothers, Jay and Quinn, and three sisters, Julia, Jailynn and Tracy … Grandfather, Willis Crenshaw, played for Kansas State in the early 1960s and went on to play in the NFL for seven seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals and Denver Broncos … Majoring in sport management … Says he models his game after former NFL star Julius Peppers because he watched him a lot growing up … Favorite movie is “Pulp Fiction” … Favorite food is fried fish and mac and cheese … X handle is @jaysonjenkins_ and Instagram handle is jaysonjenkins_FB | Aguilar, Brazzell, Gilbert Postgame vs. ETSU (9.6.25)
Saturday, September 06
FB | Matthews, Robinson, West Postgame vs. ETSU (9.6.25)
Saturday, September 06
FB | Josh Heupel Postgame vs. ETSU (9.6.25)
Saturday, September 06
FB | Cinematic Recap vs. Syracuse (8.30.25)
Tuesday, September 02