Teven Jenkins has chance of being Arizona Cardinals top pick

STILLWATER, OK - NOVEMBER 17: Offensive lineman Teven Jenkins #73 and tight end Baron Odom #86 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys run onto the field for a game against the West Virginia Mountaineers on November 17, 2018 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Oklahoma State won 45-41. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
STILLWATER, OK - NOVEMBER 17: Offensive lineman Teven Jenkins #73 and tight end Baron Odom #86 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys run onto the field for a game against the West Virginia Mountaineers on November 17, 2018 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Oklahoma State won 45-41. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

There’s a burning question that’s been surrounding the Arizona Cardinals over the past couple of months. The talk has centered around what direction the club will go with the NFL Draft’s 16th-overall selection. Fans of the franchise can make only educated guesses, and the Cards front office has obviously been keeping that classified information close to the vest.

One area of the roster that’s been mentioned as a possibility for the Cardinals is the offensive tackle position. While D.J. Humphries appears to have settled in as the line’s leftside protector, the blocking unit’s right post remains unsettled. Kelvin Beachum was brought back to handle the responsibility once again this fall, but the 31-year old can’t be viewed as the long-term answer at the spot for Arizona.

Fortunately for the Cards, there are several offensive tackle prospects who have made themselves eligible for the upcoming draft. One blocker who could be available for the team in the first round is Oklahoma State’s Teven Jenkins. Would Cardinals general manager Steve Keim consider taking the 6’6, 320 pounder with the organization’s top pick?

A year ago, Keim and his cohorts believed that they had obtained the solution to this particular dilemma during the third round of the 2020 draft. The University of Houston’s Josh Jones, who went to Arizona at the 72nd-overall slot, was projected to be taken off of the board much sooner. In fact, many draftniks had the highly-regarded Jones being chosen within the first 32 selections.

Apparently, the Cards do not have the confidence in Jones that everyone thought they did. A large group of the squad’s followers were under the impression that the 23-year old would be Big Red’s starting right tackle in 2021. However, the two-year extension that was handed to Beachum back in March seems to have squashed that train of thought.

Jenkins would be an outstanding addition to offensive line coach Sean Kugler’s extremely improved group of blockers. The Kansas native started every game as a senior for the Cowboys, and was named First-team All-Big 12 for his excellent performance. Keim would not go wrong by welcoming the 23-year old Jenkins to the Cardinals family on April 29th.

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