Darnell Jenkins
Encyclopedia
Darnell Jenkins is an American football
wide receiver
who is currently a free agent
. He was signed by the Houston Texans
as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football
at the University of Miami
.
Jenkins has also been a member of the Cleveland Browns
, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
, and New England Patriots
.
in Miami, Florida
, where he played football as a wide receiver, defensive back
, and kick returner
. He recorded 1,500 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior, and 62 receptions for 720 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior. He was a recipient of the Nick Kotys award, given to the Miami-Dade County male athlete of the year, and a two-time all-county selection.
. As a freshman in 2003, Jenkins played in all 13 games as a receiver and kick returner, averaging 20.2 yards on kickoffs, while making three catches and one touchdown. As a sophomore, Jenkins made two starts at wide receiver, and overall played in 12 games. He had 21 receptions for 230 yards and one touchdown, and finished second behind Devin Hester
with a 13.6 yard average on kickoff returns. In 2005, Jenkins missed two games with an injury, but in the ten games he played he had 25 catches for 242 yards and two touchdowns. He led the team in kickoff returns and also returned eight punts. Jenkins started the first three games of his 2006 season, recording 13 receptions before tearing his ACL
and missing the rest of the season, which he redshirted. He returned in 2007 to record 31 catches for 619 yards and two touchdowns.
, Jenkins was signed by the Houston Texans
on May 8. He was waived by the Texans on August 29, 2008, and signed to their practice squad two days later. He was signed to the Texans' 53-man roster on December 16, where he spent the remainder of the season. He was waived by the Texans again on September 5, 2009, and re-signed to their practice squad for a second straight season. He was released by the Texans on October 22, 2009.
on October 27, 2009. He was released from it on November 10, 2009.
practice squad, but was released from it on December 2, 2009.
signed Jenkins to their practice squad on December 9, 2009. He was placed on the practice squad/injured list on January 6, 2010 and was re-signed to a future contract on January 12, 2010. He was waived by the Patriots on September 4, during final cuts, and re-signed the next day to the team's practice squad. He was placed on the team's practice squad/injured list on November 3, 2010 with a knee injury. Jenkins was re-signed to a future contract for the 2011 season on January 18, 2011. He was waived on August 29.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was signed by the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
.
Jenkins has also been a member of the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
, and New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
.
Early years
Jenkins attended Miami Central High SchoolMiami Central High School
Miami Central Senior High School, commonly referred to as Central Rockets, is a secondary school located at 1781 NW 95th Street in West Little River, unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA. The school serves most of the northern fringes of the city of Miami as well as parts of North Miami,...
in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, where he played football as a wide receiver, defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
, and kick returner
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
. He recorded 1,500 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior, and 62 receptions for 720 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior. He was a recipient of the Nick Kotys award, given to the Miami-Dade County male athlete of the year, and a two-time all-county selection.
College career
After graduating from high school, Jenkins attended the University of MiamiUniversity of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
. As a freshman in 2003, Jenkins played in all 13 games as a receiver and kick returner, averaging 20.2 yards on kickoffs, while making three catches and one touchdown. As a sophomore, Jenkins made two starts at wide receiver, and overall played in 12 games. He had 21 receptions for 230 yards and one touchdown, and finished second behind Devin Hester
Devin Hester
Devin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football...
with a 13.6 yard average on kickoff returns. In 2005, Jenkins missed two games with an injury, but in the ten games he played he had 25 catches for 242 yards and two touchdowns. He led the team in kickoff returns and also returned eight punts. Jenkins started the first three games of his 2006 season, recording 13 receptions before tearing his ACL
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
and missing the rest of the season, which he redshirted. He returned in 2007 to record 31 catches for 619 yards and two touchdowns.
Houston Texans
After going undrafted in the 2008 NFL Draft2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
, Jenkins was signed by the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on May 8. He was waived by the Texans on August 29, 2008, and signed to their practice squad two days later. He was signed to the Texans' 53-man roster on December 16, where he spent the remainder of the season. He was waived by the Texans again on September 5, 2009, and re-signed to their practice squad for a second straight season. He was released by the Texans on October 22, 2009.
Cleveland Browns
Jenkins was signed to the practice squad of the Cleveland BrownsCleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on October 27, 2009. He was released from it on November 10, 2009.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
On November 18, 2009, Jenkins was signed to the Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
practice squad, but was released from it on December 2, 2009.
New England Patriots
The New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
signed Jenkins to their practice squad on December 9, 2009. He was placed on the practice squad/injured list on January 6, 2010 and was re-signed to a future contract on January 12, 2010. He was waived by the Patriots on September 4, during final cuts, and re-signed the next day to the team's practice squad. He was placed on the team's practice squad/injured list on November 3, 2010 with a knee injury. Jenkins was re-signed to a future contract for the 2011 season on January 18, 2011. He was waived on August 29.