Jauan
Jennings.
Jauan
Jennings.
Tennessee· 6'3"· 215 lb· 4.72s 40
"San Francisco bet the 217th pick on a slow, combative Tennessee receiver with a checkered file, and got a physical chain-mover who grew into a starter and threw a Super Bowl touchdown."Pre-draft read
Jennings was a big, physical possession receiver in Tennessee's offense, a 6-3, 212-pound former high school quarterback who worked mostly from the slot and the boundary as a big-bodied target. His primary trait was contested-catch strength: he used his frame to shield defenders, won through contact at the catch point and kept balance after the catch to grind out extra yardage.
His secondary trait was toughness after the catch, where he ran through arm tackles and played with a combative edge that also made him a willing, effective blocker in the run game. His athletic ceiling was limited by modest speed and separation. His signature was the rugged, physical style that turned short catches into first downs.
Shanahan-style wide zone and play-action offense that asks receivers to crack block and win in the middle of the field.
Year 1: blocking-first fourth receiver and special teams player. Ceiling: starting big slot and third-down target.
Vertical spread offense built on isolated outside receivers who must separate deep against press man coverage.
His blocking and toughness keep him on the field when targets are scarce.
Tennessee WR Jauan Jennings Highlights
College highlights from his Tennessee career.
Jauan Jennings trick play TD pass to Christian McCaffrey
Super Bowl LVIII touchdown pass on a trick play.
Jauan Jennings | 2024 Highlights
Breakout 2024 season with the 49ers.
Jennings projected as a tough, physical slot and big-body receiver whose poor athletic testing and off-field history pushed him to the final round. Evaluators liked his hands, competitiveness and run-after-catch strength, but worried that he could not separate from NFL cornerbacks.
He contributed as a freshman in 2015, broke out with 40 catches, 580 yards and seven touchdowns in 2016, then lost 2017 to a wrist injury and a dismissal from the team for criticizing the coaching staff before being reinstated. His best year came as a fifth-year senior in 2019, with 59 catches, 969 yards and eight touchdowns. The flags were a slow combine 40 time, the 2017 dismissal and a history of emotional volatility on the field.
Most boards viewed him as a late-round or undrafted receiver. San Francisco took him at No. 217, a bet that his physicality and blocking would fit a Kyle Shanahan offense that valued receivers willing to do dirty work between the tackles.
- 01
Contested-catch strength
Used a 6-3 frame and strong hands to win through contact at the catch point, especially on slants and back-shoulder throws.
- 02
Run after catch
Broke arm tackles and ran with power after the catch, turning short completions into chunk gains as a senior in 2019.
- 03
Blocking effort
Attacked defenders as a perimeter and crack blocker, a trait that fits run-heavy offenses that ask receivers to block often.
- 04
Quarterback background
Played quarterback in high school and threw a 58-yard touchdown pass at Tennessee, giving play callers trick-play options.
- 05
Senior production
Caught 59 passes for 969 yards and eight touchdowns in 2019, showing his best football in his final college season.
- 01
Limited speed
Tested poorly at the combine and lacked the burst to separate vertically or run away from defensive backs after the catch.
- 02
Separation concerns
Relied on physicality rather than route quickness, which projected to more contested throws against NFL coverage.
- 03
Character flags
Was dismissed in 2017 after criticizing coaches on social media and showed on-field volatility that teams had to vet closely.
- 04
Injury-lost season
Played only two games in 2017 because of a wrist injury, leaving a gap in his development and his evaluation tape.
Relative Athletic Score (Kent Lee Platte) benchmarks combine/pro-day numbers against every measured prospect at the position since 1987. 10.00 is elite; 5.00 is average.
— — — positional median (p50)
- 40 yd
- 4.72sp50
- Vertical
- 29inp50
- Broad jump
- 119inp50
- Three-cone
- —s
- Shuttle
- —s
- Bench
- —rep
| Yr | Team | G | Rec | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Tennessee | 11 | 14 | 149 | 0 |
| 2016 | Tennessee | 13 | 40 | 580 | 7 |
| 2017 | Tennessee | 2 | 3 | 17 | 0 |
| 2018 | Tennessee | 12 | 30 | 438 | 3 |
| 2019 | Tennessee | 13 | 59 | 969 | 8 |
| Career | — | 51 | 146 | 2153 | 18 |
Sports-Reference totals, bowl games included (51 games); StatMuse lists 50 games. Also threw a 58-yard touchdown pass against Florida in 2015.
A dash means the figure is not published by a source we trust — never a zero we invented.
The realized outcome: a rugged chain-mover and blocker who became a starter by year five.
Physical, slow-testing receiver who won with strength, hands and run-after-catch toughness.
Big-bodied receiver whose limited separation kept him in a reserve and special teams role.
Everything above is the pre-draft evaluation. This section is what actually happened — updated year over year.
Jennings spent his 2020 rookie year on injured reserve, then carved out a role in 2021 with 24 catches and five touchdowns as a physical third-down and red zone option. He posted 35 catches in 2022 and 19 in 2023, when he threw a touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey in Super Bowl LVIII. He broke out in 2024 with 77 catches for 975 yards and six scores, added 55 catches and nine touchdowns in 2025, and signed with Minnesota for 2026.
In hindsight Jennings was a clear seventh-round hit. The limitations scouts flagged were real, since he never became a vertical separator, but his toughness, hands and blocking made him a trusted piece in a demanding offense. His 2024 season alone produced more yards than his first three active seasons combined. Through 2025 he had 210 catches, 2,581 yards and 22 touchdowns across 75 games, far above the usual return at No. 217, and he grew into a legitimate starter before reaching free agency and a new contract in Minnesota.