Ohio State Football: Ranking top 5 Buckeyes in NFL
By Ben Swanger
No. 5 Ohio State Football Player in the NFL: Malcolm Jenkins
Safety Malcolm Jenkins checks in as the fifth best Buckeye product in the NFL.
According to Pro Football Focus, Jenkins has been one of the most consistent secondary players in the league the past six seasons as he’s finished with a PFF grade over 70 each of those years.
Jenkins is one of the few Jim Tressel products left in the NFL. He played cornerback at Ohio State before transitioning to safety as a pro. He was a four year player in Columbus tallying 124 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 11 interceptions and two touchdowns.
Jenkins was drafted 14th overall by the Saints in 2009. Jenkins won his first Super Bowl in 2010 with the Saints and in his five years in The Big Easy he collected over 350 tackles, 6 interceptions and 4.5 sacks.
Jenkins then cashed in his play for pay. In 2014 he signed a new deal with the Philadelphia Eagles to be the anchoring part of their secondary. In six years with the Eagles he collected over $40 million.
In 2017 Jenkins was the captain of the Eagles’ defense and led the team to the franchises first Super Bowl victory. In his final two years in Philadelphia, Jenkins never left the field. He played 100 percent of defensive snaps between 2018 and 2019.
In six years in Philly, Jenkins was a three-time Pro Bowler. He recently parted ways with the Eagles and has returned to New Orleans too, most likely, finish out his career where it started.
Jenkins has probably never been viewed as the game’s best safety at any point in his career, but since 2014 he’s never missed a game. Jenkins is football’s most reliable safety.
He might not be a first ballot Hall of Famer, but don’t be surprised if Jenkins, as a two-time champion who will finish his career with around 1,000 career tackles, one day sneaks into Canton.
Let’s move on to the fourth spot.