NFL Combine 2012: Nobody Has More on the Line Than Janoris Jenkins

The NFL combine is one of your last opportunities to make a strong impression on scouts and the millions of dollars that can be won and lost during this time is mind-boggling.

Cornerback Janoris Jenkins better be aware of this.

After a spectacular three-year stint at Florida, Jenkins was a potential top 10 pick if he had chosen to leave school early. Instead, he decided to come back for his senior season and finish what he started.

Big mistake.

He got busted for marijuana and was kicked off the team and forced to sign with a D-2 team in Alabama State. Playing against lesser competition didn’t help his stock and now he is anywhere from 15-30 in most experts' mock drafts.

By showing off his most prolific traits at the combine, he will make scouts forget about the legal woes of the past. Just check out what the ESPN scout tracker thinks about his coverage ability:

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Displays a natural back pedal and makes an easy flip of hips to turn and run with receivers down field. Balanced and feet are constantly underneath him allowing him to make a quick transition out of breaks. Explodes out of his pedal and closes quickly on the ball in front of him.

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They gave him an “exceptional rating” in this area and a 93 overall. There is no doubt he has the coverage skills to be a star.

As long as he’s focused the on-field stuff will come easy. The real test will be the one-on-one interviews with GM’s and coaching staffs. In addition to the marijuana bust, which was his second in a three month period, he was arrested in 2009 for a fight where he was charged with misdemeanor affray and resisting arrest without violence.

Remember when Dez Bryant was grilled about his mom? That’s nothing to what Jenkins is going to get. He needs to stay calm, poised, and have a well prepared response for anything that might get thrown his way. His agent is going to have a big task here. He has to make sure Jenkins is prepared.

The 11th pick in last year’s draft JJ Watt received a $11.2M deal over four years. 32nd overall pick Derek Sherrod made $6.6M over the same span.

Roughly $4-5M is riding on the combine for Jenkins.

No pressure.