Kevin Jennings Scouting Report
Kevin Jennings is an electric dual-threat quarterback whose running ability provides the foundation for creating explosive plays on offense.
Draft Grade: Round 5 – Scheme Specific Contributor
Strengths:
Speed: Jennings possesses game-changing speed in the open field, allowing him to flip the field and create explosive plays with his legs.
Athleticism: Jennings is an elusive athlete who can make defenders miss in one-on-one situations, making him a consistent threat whenever he runs the ball.
Pocket Escapability: Jennings has a strong feel for defensive pressure and uses his athleticism to escape the pocket, turning potential negative plays into positive gains for the offense.
Concerns:
Accuracy: Jennings’ accuracy can be inconsistent from short to intermediate to deep throws. While he is capable of completing difficult passes, he can also follow up with routine misses that negatively impact the offense.
Arm Strength: Jennings’ deep ball tends to lose velocity and accuracy the farther downfield it travels, which could limit opportunities to generate explosive plays through the air.
Size: Jennings’ lack of height and overall mass may increase the risk of injury and can force him to leave the pocket to get a clean look at the field, potentially disrupting timing on passing plays.
Kevin Jennings Summary/Projection:
Kevin Jennings earned the starting quarterback position for the SMU Mustangs in 2024. In this role, he became a key contributor to the team’s offensive success, helping lead SMU to an ACC Championship and a College Football Playoff berth in his first year as a starter. Jennings is an elite athlete at the quarterback position, using his running ability to create big plays both with his legs and through the passing game.
As a runner, Jennings is electric, and his athleticism must be accounted for at all times by defenses. On traditional passing plays, his mobility allows him to evade pressure, using jump cuts, spin moves, and other elusive techniques to escape collapsing pockets. He can string together plays in tight spaces, buy time for receivers to get open, or tuck the ball and pick up significant yards, often creating explosive plays that flip field position.
On designed quarterback runs, Jennings is highly effective. He accelerates quickly, putting defenses in conflict on read-option plays, and his speed allows him to reach the perimeter and turn corners when containment breaks down. In open space, he can outrun defenders or use his elusiveness to make people miss, making him a dynamic offensive weapon who can handle a double-digit workload to maximize production.
As a passer, Jennings operates in a spread RPO system that complements his skill set, using the threat of the run to open throwing windows. He handles play-action and RPOs efficiently, getting the ball out quickly after fakes. Jennings excels in short- to intermediate-range throws, using key defenders to manipulate coverage and find open windows. His ball velocity allows him to fit passes into tight areas on quick throws. On traditional drop-backs, he performs best in the quick game—slants, hitches, and curls—delivering the ball in rhythm. On deep passes, Jennings prefers one-on-one opportunities downfield, placing the ball with enough arc to give his receivers a chance to make a play on contested throws. Overall, he is most effective in the short-to-intermediate areas or when moving outside the pocket to buy time and locate open receivers.
Jennings’ primary concerns are accuracy and size. His accuracy is inconsistent at times, with routine throws occasionally missing their mark, resulting in incompletions, tipped passes, or interceptions. His smaller stature also affects his ability to see over the line of scrimmage, sometimes forcing him out of the pocket to find a clear view. This can disrupt timing and rhythm, leading to delayed throws, sacks, or other negative outcomes.