Jenkins Delivers Power for Good Counsel

There is rarely a long line to play fullback. The position usually means sticking your hand in the dirt, then trying to block an opponent so the tailback can gain yardage. Maybe you get a few carries. It hardly is glamorous work. But after seeing Jelani Jenkins in his first days of high school, Good Counsel's coaches couldn't think of a better spot for their bruising athlete.

"They thought I was aggressive, so they wanted to put me at fullback and see if I could open up some holes," Jenkins said. "I did pretty good at it."

After playing on the freshman team, Jenkins became a two-way starter on the varsity as a sophomore. Now a junior, he's a team leader, starring at fullback and linebacker, earning college scholarship offers and helping the Falcons contend for the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title.

No. 11 Good Counsel (8-1, 5-1 WCAC) can earn a share of first place in the conference regular season by beating No. 3 DeMatha (8-1, 6-0) today. If that happens and No. 10 St. John's beats Gonzaga also to tie for first, a coin toss will be held to determine playoff seeding.

Though he has missed two games this season because of a sprained right ankle, Jenkins leads Good Counsel in tackles per game and has rushed for 558 yards and 14 touchdowns. Much of that yardage has come by running through opponents, not around them, according to Coach Bob Milloy.

"He has good speed, but he's more of a run-over-top-of-you guy than a juker," Milloy said. "He's more of a straight-ahead guy. He's not a jitterbug. He's a power back with great speed."

At 6 feet 1 and 200 pounds, colleges have taken notice. Maryland, Virginia and Stanford have made scholarship offers, Milloy said, adding he believes Jenkins is one of the best players he has had in his 37 years of coaching.

Jenkins said he is trying to vary his game, adding some moves to his smash-mouth style. Still, it is that ability to be physical and make contact that keep him coming back to fullback.

"The position I play, it's a very important part of the team," Jenkins said. "I block for Caleb [Porzel], and I'm able to run just as much as the tailback. We go one-back a lot, and I'll go there, too. I like to hit. At fullback, you're running full speed trying to hit somebody and make a hole. It's a really fun position."

No. 11 Good Counsel vs. No. 3 DeMatha

Tomorrow, 2 Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex