NFL Draft 2013: John Jenkins believes his weight is 'nothing to worry about'

Georgia defensive tackle John Jenkins fielded a lot of questions about his weight at the 2013 NFL Combine in Indianapolis. He let media and scouts know that they should have nothing to worry about.

By Louis Bien@louisbien Feb 26, 2013, 3:13pm EST

Georgia defensive tackle John Jenkins is a large man. He measured at 6'4, 346 pounds at the 2013 NFL Combine, but admitted that he weighed about 370 pounds when the Bulldogs took on Alabama this past season. Jenkins could be headed to nose tackle at the next level, and unsurprisingly he has fielded plenty of questions about his weight from scouts.

"I tell them you have nothing to worry about," Jenkins said. "It was the only time in my football career ever that I was that high. It was the highest I had ever been at in my life. I didn't have the right knowledge of how I should have my weight and wasn't educated enough to keep my weight down."

More: Complete 2013 NFL Combine coverage

Jenkins called himself more of a "340 and below guy," and seemed confident that he would be able to keep the weight down at the next level. The big jump up to 370 apparently had more to do with his studiousness in college rather than lack of work ethic.

"I had an obligation as far as me trying to get extra studying in and things like that," Jenkins said. "Instead of me doing extra running, I was doing extra tutoring."

Now Jenkins is following a strict diet of protein and berry-filled shakes to help keep himself trim. Even when he was at his biggest, however, Jenkins said he had no trouble playing four quarters.

"I don't see myself wearing down because a lot of times during the season you would see in certain games, big games, we would have to go in the fourth quarter," Jenkins said. "South Carolina, even though we were getting beat, I felt like I was giving everything I had in the fourth quarter. I don't see size wearing me down in the fourth quarter."

Jenkins was very happy with his performance at the combine. In his mind, he proved during drills that he is still an enormously gifted athlete who just happens to be carrying around a bigger-than-usual frame.

"Everybody had questions: 'Well, he's this big, can he move? Can he do this? Can he run to the ball? Is he going to be tired after the third play?'

"I wanted to show that I can be a three-down guy through the whole game."