Emotional Day For Blackhawk 2022 WR Lorenzo Jenkins After Getting First D-I Offer

Offers continue to arrive for WPIAL players in the Class of 2022, the latest one being Lorenzo Jenkins and it was a big one.

Jenkin is a big wide receiver (6-foot-4, 170 pounds) from Blackhawk High School, formerly with Fox Chapel High School and earlier this week, Jenkins received the news that Old Dominion was extending him an offer, which was his first Division-I scholarship.

Like all athletes, Jenkins was confident in his athletic ability but until you get the call that a program is officially extending you an offer, you’re nervous and wondering if and when it was going to happen. Jenkins knew that their was nothing really he could do about that except continue to work on his game and get better.

“In terms of my game tape, I think my sophomore tape was better given we played three more games and everything that went on last season,” said Jenkins. “After what I did during my sophomore and junior seasons, I thought I was in a good place for schools. Going into this off-season, I wanted to improve on my size along with my speed. During some of my talks with some schools, they all said they liked my tape but that I needed to improve a bit on those two things, which would help my recruiting a lot.”

recap of day 2 🖤 #FBUTopGun @FBUcamp pic.twitter.com/w3AmbXHewb

— Lorenzo Jenkins (@cantguardzo_) July 12, 2020

“After my junior season, I’ve been able to add 15 pounds, I’m up to 170 pounds now, which is the most I’ve ever weighed. I made it a point to overeat. I eat six times a day, I just continue to eat, I was going crazy. Plus, I got into the gym a lot with my dad, which really helped. I’m also working with a sports nutritionist, who’s helping with my eating regimen. Once I get back on the field, I’m looking to add 10-15 more pounds and get to 180 pounds.”

Jenkins believes these improvements to his body will allow him to get better and allow him to receive more D-I interest. One school like already likes what they see already is Old Dominion and head coach Ricky Rahne.

“Their head coach called me and before that, I hadn’t had more conversation with him, I’ve mainly with their wide receivers coach,” said Jenkins. “I was on my way to the gym and he asked if he could talk with me. He told me how the staff went over my film and wanted to give me a full ride and I immediately thanked him. He talked for a bit more and he was telling me about some ties he has back in Pittsburgh.”

Courtesy of Lorenzo Jenkins

“After the news, I called my dad first and he was extremely excited because of all the work I put in. For me, just hearing that news from Old Dominion, it’s so hard to put into words what I felt. I then called my mom and she started crying and I told her alright mom, if you keep crying, you’re going to get me to start crying. For me to get that first D-1 offer is crazy because I know how much better I can and will be getting.”

In the past few weeks, Jenkins has been followed on Twitter or contacted by: Coastal Carolina, Air Force, Maine, Bucknell, UMass, Villanova, William & Mary, Troy, Cornell, Temple, Lehigh, Vanderbilt, Akron, Youngstown State and  Miami (Ohio).