BREAKING: LSU nets commitment from Patrick Jenkins

THE SITUATION

Days after camping at LSU and earning himself an offer from Coach Ed Orgeron, Patrick Jenkins' mind was made up.

Jenkins, a three-star defensive tackle from John Ehret (La.) High School, committed to the Tigers over the likes of Miami, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Colorado.

Jenkins is a recent riser in Louisiana state rankings after an impressive junior campaign and strong showing at RCS New Orleans. He's the second in-state defensive tackle pledge for LSU and is currently ranked as the fourth-best prospect at his position in The Boot.

IN HIS OWN WORDS

"I wanted to stay home and be where my mom can come to games. It's big-time football in the SEC football. It's a great opportunity and I want to make the best out of it."

"The LSU coaches talked about changing the defense for me. They want me to play the position I want to play now and they want me real bad. They like me as a 3-technique and they're switching to a 4-3 defense for me. That means a lot to me and I was excited."

"It's been crazy. The coaches, they've been talking to me, calling me a lot. They wanted me to commit. I'm just very blessed to be in this position."

"It was an easy decision because it's LSU. Growing up in Louisiana, seeing guys like Tyrann Mathieu, I want to be the next one. I just want to keep the process going."

RIVALS REACTION

Speed is rarely the most important trait when evaluating defensive tackles, but it certainly comes into play when breaking down Jenkins. The 6-foot-2, 270-pounder is a prototypical rush tackle with a 4.9-second 40 time and unique burst off the line of scrimmage. He's a pass-rush specialist that can thrive as a 3-technique or a situational defensive end in a three- and four-man front as he'll be used at LSU.

Jenkins height has always been a popular topic of conversation, but it doesn't hinder his production whatsoever. He is a special type of quick playing both defensive end and tackle for Ehret, and recently displayed it with three sacks in his team's spring game. That's a testament to his ability to easily change directions and his closing speed.

Jenkins is dynamic moving laterally and has exceptionally strong hands, which he uses to his advantage as a pass-rusher. Because he's so fast to get into the backfield, Jenkins often comes up with big stops and tackles for loss in the run game.

There's still a need for Jenkins to continue to add strength to go head-to-head with SEC-caliber offensive linemen. In doing so, he can be an even more impactful run defender for the Tigers.