Here at Cat Scratch Reader we have counted down the final 100 days leading up to the Carolina Panthers season opener by for at least the past ten years. We’ve always done this by highlighting the current player on the roster whose jersey number matches the day on the countdown. This year, we decided to change that up a bit by counting down our own list of the Top 100 Panthers of all time. This does not correspond to jersey number, does not need to be somebody who wore a jersey, and will in no way be controversial.
#11. Kris Jenkins
We’re in the middle of the golden age of Carolina Panthers history in this countdown right now. The list is rife with players from the early to mid 2000s when the Panthers had a feared defense and were one of the least desirable teams to play in the NFL. We continue that trend with today’s topic of the countdown, the anchor of that defense, Kris Jenkins.
The Panthers selected Jenkins in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft while the team was in a hot streak of adding elite talent. He quickly solidified himself as a starter as a rookie, and built upon that in the subsequent seasons. In his second year, Jenkins racked up seven sacks and 15 tackles for a loss, earning Pro Bowl and All Pro honors. He followed that up with an almost identical season en route to his second Pro Bowl and All Pro nominations. He had two seasons derailed by injuries but was able to come back and contribute two more solid seasons in Carolina before he was traded to the Jets. He had one last dominant season in New York before ACL tears ended each of the next two years, and ultimately his career.
Jenkins clocked in at 6’5”, 320 pounds at the combine, but he was often listed closer to 350 pounds during his career. He was a behemoth of a man that was practically immovable at the line of scrimmage. His sheer size allowed him to clog up space, and his length and strength further extended the range of his impact. He was able to generate decent pressure by nose tackle standards purely with his strength and ability to push the line. He used those physical attributes and motor to also pull off one of the most impressive special teams feats in league history. He blocked two field goals in one game against the Buccaneers. One of them was an extra point that would’ve won the game for Tampa. Instead, the Panthers ended up winning the game in overtime.
Jenkins’ career probably didn’t reach the heights it could have due to injury. He tore his ACL three times during his time in the NFL, and the last two ultimately ended his career. His peak years were about as dominant as they come for an interior defensive lineman, and he was an essential part of the Panthers’ Super Bowl run in 2003. For that, he lands at number 11 on the list of top 100 Panthers of all time.
