CENTRAL — After a strong four-year career at nearby Clemson University, former Daniel High standout defensive lineman Jarvis Jenkins heard the words he had waited for all his life Friday evening as former Super Bowl MVP Doug Williams announced him as the Washington Redskins’ selection with the 41st pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.

Jenkins was the first Clemson Tiger taken in the draft and went with the ninth pick of the second round.
“To have one of your kids drafted 41st overall was beyond belief,” Daniel coach Randy Robinson said. “I ran into Jarvis a couple of times since he’s been back home from all the teams flying him different places, and he was really optimistic. Jarvis’s maturity has just amazed me, and he’s handled it so well.”
When Jenkins wrapped up his career at the high school level, some expected a difficult transition to the college game.

“As a coach, you see all that talent, and Jarvis may have been one of the nicest, easy-go-lucky kids you’ll ever coach in your life, but he didn’t take anything seriously,” Robinson said. “When you tried to push him to get serious, and he’d just smile at you and he wouldn’t go hard. It was just frustrating as a coach because you knew, ‘Wow, if we can get him to play, he’s going to be special.’”

Former Clemson offensive line coach Brad Scott, who recruited Jenkins to play for the Tigers, knew that the tackle would fulfill his potential, even back then.

“Coach Scott kept saying he was going to be a draft pick and something special,” Robinson said. “He certainly recognized talent. He called it four years ago, and we laughed about that when he called after the draft.”