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NEW YORK -- Malcolm Jenkins might have been a higher pick a year ago. Might have made more money. But he decided to stay one more year at Ohio State, and he went No. 14 overall to the New Orleans Saints in this year's draft.He has no regrets.
"That's one of the best decisions I ever made, to stay in school and enjoy my senior year," Jenkins said at a press conference moments ago at Radio City Music Hall. "I'll graduate in June, I won the (Jim) Thorpe Award (for nation's best defensive back), I got to have Senior Day and all that went with that. I'm so glad I made that decision, because it's something I'm going to remember for the rest of my life."
Jenkins was at his home in New Jersey on Saturday when the first round happened, but he and his family made the trip across the Hudson River to drop in on the second day of the NFL Draft, where he granted interviews, signed autographs and enjoyed some good-natured heckling from fans. ("Why didn't you stay and go to Rutgers?" one called as Jenkins readied for a live shot on NFL Network.)
He was looked at by some teams as the top free safety in this year's draft. Others looked at him as a top cornerback. The Saints apparently plan to use him as the latter.
"Just from talking to the coaches, they're going to use me at cornerback, and we'll see what happens," said Jenkins, whose slower-than-expected 40-yard-dash time at the scouting combine led some to wonder if he had the speed for that position. "Regardless of where I play, I'm just real excited to get on the football field."
