The San Francisco 49ers selected Tennessee wide receiver Jauan Jennings with the third pick (No. 217 overall) in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Jennings caught 146 passes for 2,153 yards with 18 touchdowns in five seasons with the Volunteers, including a 59-catch, 969-yard, eight-touchdowns senior year in 2019. He also had 13 rushing attempts for 51 yards and a rushing touchdown last year.
The 49ers provided the following bio on Jennings:
Appeared in 50 games (30 starts) in five years (2015-19) at Tennessee and finished his collegiate career ranked 5th in school history in recepts. (146), 4th in rec. yds. (2,153) and t-5th in TD recepts. (18). Also tallied 25 carries for 93 yds. and 1 TD. As a senior, was selected a team MVP and as a permanent team captain. Appeared in 13 games (9 starts) and registered 59 recepts. for 969 yds. and 8 TDs. Added 13 carries for 51 yds. and 1 TD on the ground. In 2018, appeared in 12 games (5 starts) and recorded 30 recepts. for 438 yds. and 3 TDs. Redshirted in 2017. In 2016, appeared in all 13 games (9 starts) and recorded 40 recepts. for 580 yds. and 7 TDs. Also threw a 4-yd. TD pass. As a freshman in 2015, appeared in 11 games (6 starts) and recorded 14 recepts. for 149 yds. Additionally completed 1 pass for a 58-yd. TD.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, the 6-foot-3 and 215-pound Jennings had a 40-time of 4.72 seconds, a vertical jump of 29 inches, and a broad jump of 119 inches. Other measurables for Jennings include an arm length of 31 5/8 inches and hands that measure 9 inches.
NFL.com projected Jennings to be a priority free agent.
Below is the NFL.com draft profile bio on Jennings:
Bennie Jauan Jennings was the 2014 Tennessee Mr. Football Back of the Year as a senior dual-threat quarterback at Murfreesboro's Blackman High School. He moved from quarterback to receiver during preseason practices his true freshman season and wound up starting six of 11 games played that year (14 receptions, 149 yards, 10.6 average; seven carries, 15 yards, 2.1 ypc). Jennings started nine games as a sophomore, collecting 40 passes for 580 yards and seven scores in 13 appearances. His 2017 season at Rocky Top was a bit rocky, as he suffered a wrist injury in the opener after catching three passes for 17 yards. He did not end up playing the rest of the year, though he went to social media to rip coaches for not putting him back on the field late in the season. Interim head coach Brady Hoke dismissed him from the team after that incident, but the new coaching staff brought him back in the spring of 2018 (though a knee injury kept him from practicing). Jennings returned to the starting lineup for five games in 2018 (30 receptions, 438 yards, 14.6 average, three touchdowns in 12 contests). He suffered a knee injury in the summer of 2019, but managed to play all 13 games for the Volunteers as a senior, leading the team in receiving (59 receptions, 969 yards, 16.4 average, eight touchdowns; 13 carries, 51 yards, 3.9 ypc, one touchdown).
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote the following about Jennings within his scouting report:
Big slot target with size, savvy and toughness, but lacking in functional speed and general quickness. Jennings can be clever in stemming and tilting coverage enough to open throwing windows, but getting away from press coverage is going to be difficult for him. What he can't do may keep him from being drafted, but competitiveness at the catch point, with the ball in his hands, and as a blocker should get him into camp and give him an outside shot as a big, possession slot.
Measurables
Height: 6-3
Weight: 215 lbs.
Arm length: 31 5/8 inches
Hand length: 9 inches
NFL Scouting Combine
40-time: 4.72 seconds
Vertical: 29 inches
Broad jump: 119 inches
Personal
- Attended Blackman (Murfreesboro, TN) HS where he completed 125 of 219 passes for 2,155 yds. and 22 TDs at QB. Was honored as the 2014 Tennessee Mr. Football Division I Class AAA Back of the Year as a senior.
- Son of Angela Holman and Bennie Jennings.
- Brother of Alexis and Kendal Jennings and Elizabeth, Tinae, and Tony Holman.
- Majored in business administration at Tennessee.
- Born Bennie Jauan Jennings (7/10/97) in Cowan, TN
- His first name is pronounced juh-WAHN.
- In addition to football, Jennings played basketball at Black- man (Murfreesboro, TN) HS.
- Sister, Alexis, played basketball at Kentucky and South Carolina, collecting Second-Team All-SEC honors as a senior with the Gamecocks in 2018-19. Additionally, his father, Bennie, played football collegiately at North Alabama.
- When a deadly tornado hit Tennessee in March 2020, Jennings turned his scheduled autograph session into a donation drop off benefitting those affected by the tornado. "Just to be able to go down there and help," said Jennings, "it means a lot because this is a place that helped build who I am today. I had just gotten to Knoxville from the Combine and to wake up and see that call about the tornado and see the devastation that's happened, it broke my heart."
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