Supportive 'Team' Keeps Jenkins in the Moment

"Jelani never told me not to call him, but you get the impression they don't want him being bombarded with phone calls," said Rivals.com recruiting analyst Mike Farrell, who noted he has been following Jelani since the linebacker's sophomore year. "Without the parental influence that Jelani has, things tend to spin out of control a little bit, and that's not going to happen with Jelani."

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Four African nation flags hang off the roof of Roots Activity Learning Center, a one-story red brick building at Sheridan and North Capitol streets NW. On the building's west side is a mural painted by the father of the predominantly black, private grade school's most popular graduate. When you mention Jelani Jenkins's name here, the students shriek with delight.

This is where Jelani grew into the confident, reserved young man he is today. This year there are 37 students enrolled in first through eighth grade at Roots. In 2005, Jelani was one of four kids in his graduating class. "He didn't talk much," said Ida Flemming, one of Jelani's former teachers who goes by the name Mama Nkechi. "He was very serious at a young age. He was born a man, very mature."

Until Jelani was 7 years old, the only children he knew were his fellow classmates at Roots. At the time, the Jenkins family lived in an Aspen Hill neighborhood where there weren't many kids with whom Jelani could play. Once Jelani began playing football for the Wheaton Boys & Girls Club, he was introduced to an entirely new and diverse world.

"That was when we met kids from Montgomery County, because even though we lived in Montgomery County, we didn't know kids from Montgomery County," Stephanie said. "We would just drive down to Roots, and that's where they did all their play and everything. They're kind of insulated in some ways at the school [Jelani] went to."

From seemingly the moment Jelani began playing football, Stephanie said, it became evident to everyone but her that her son had unique talent. By Jelani's eighth-grade year, Stephanie said, numerous high school coaches were recruiting her youngest son to play for their teams. Just as they would four years later, the Jenkins family went through a meticulous process in which the team discerned the best fit for Jelani.

It came down to two schools, DeMatha and Good Counsel. Ultimately, Maurice said, they chose Good Counsel because Coach Bob Milloy convinced the family of what a vital role Jelani would play in the construction of his team over the coming seasons.

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With just less than five minutes remaining in the first half against Paul VI, Jelani took a handoff, churned through four arm-tackle attempts and bolted 73 yards for a touchdown. He showed little outward emotion upon entering the end zone, offering a few limp low fives on his way back to the sideline.

In addition to penetrating opposing offenses as a linebacker, Jelani serves as a threat on the opposite side of the ball. In fact, Maurice said, several recruiters have proposed the idea of playing Jelani both ways at the collegiate level. They've told Maurice they want to transform his son into a Heisman Trophy candidate. Maurice said he's not sure yet what he thinks of the idea, but he doesn't mind having it as an option.

Nearly three weeks ago, the family met and narrowed Jelani's college choices from 34 to 15. In the next few weeks, Maurice will draft letters to be sent to all the schools no longer up for consideration, thanking them for their interest. He will send the drafts to Stephanie, who will show them to Jelani before Maurice mails them. Within a month, the family will narrow its choices to five and begin taking official visits.

When it comes time to make the final choice, "it will be a team decision," Stephanie said. "Jelani's feelings will certainly weigh extremely heavily, but I think the team decision will be his decision because I think he's such a mature young man that he's going to make a decision based on what's best for him. But we're not going to let him make what we would consider a mistake because this is his life; this is his career."

College sports is big business, Maurice said, which is why he and the rest of Jelani's family are working so intently on protecting their young prospect as long as they can from any potential snares.

"We realize the opportunity we have right now, and we're just trying to take advantage of it," Jelani said. "We measure out everything and see everything. We want to make sure we make the perfect decision."