Explosive Jenkins continues to progress for Blue Devils

GATE CITY — It was a productive summer for Parker Jenkins. Look for more of the same for Gate City in the fall. Jenkins enters his junior campaign with NCAA Division I football offers from East Tennessee State, Liberty, William & Mary and VMI. Playing at the next level has long been a dream of his. "For sure, ever since I was a little kid," said Jenkins, who is also a talented playmaker for the Gate City basketball team. "I had a great camp season this year over the summer. I went to about eight of them. I came out with four Division I offers so it was a great time." What stood out the most? "Very much speed wise. I ran great at those camps," he said. "My best was a 4.37 and my ability to jump up and get the ball for sure." Jenkins looks to follow in the path of his brother, Carson, who is currently in his senior campaign at William & Mary. "I would say me and him are about the same speed," Jenkins said. "He is a little bit stronger and a little bit shorter as well, but I am taller and I feel like I can go up and get it more. My brother was a great player and I look up to him a lot for sure." Lots of defenders looked up at the 6-foot-3 Jenkins last season when he showed the ability to go up to make receptions. He also had several interceptions on defense, and made big plays as a return specialist. He also finds time to punt for the Blue Devils. "He is an explosive athlete. I think early on last year he showed signs of it, but as the year went on he was able to exploit some of that stuff," Gate City head coach Jeremy Houseright said. "Corey (Byrd) got a little banged up so that put Parker back there at punt returner for us and he made some electric returns." Jenkins is part of a dynamic duo of receivers at Gate City, combining with Houseright's senior son, Kaden, to give the Blue Devils two of the better pass-catchers around. Jenkins expects a big season ahead for both of them, and he's not the only one. "Parker is an explosive athlete. He bared some of the fruit off of Kaden. There were games where Kaden got double-teamed and they left Parker single-covered. Pick your poison, I think we have got two really special athletes out wide," Houseright said. "Now it is my job to be able to let them do what they do and try to figure out ways to get them the ball no matter what people are doing. "I think with both of those guys out there we will have some guys step up that nobody knows right now. They will reap the rewards of those two getting a lot of eyes on them." Gate City's early season schedule is a challenge, with Richlands followed by Dobyns-Bennett and the first of three straight road games at Abingdon. All that, and the Blue Devils are still searching for replacements for 1,000-yard rusher Walker Hillman, four-year starting linebacker Mason Hickman, Byrd and current college athletes Nick Youmans and Keegan Light. "We lost a lot last year, but I really feel like we can reload," Jenkins said. "We have got a great group of kids, a great group of guys and we have great leaders and I feel like we are all going to be build on that and have a great year for sure." Reed is back for his third season as quarterback at Gate City, which will open it season on Thursday, Aug. 27, against Richlands at Legion Field. "He is one of my best friends. I have been friends with him since elementary school," Jenkins said. "We have been grinding together for a long time. He is a great guy, has got a great arm, very talented, very athletic. I believe in his confidence, I really do, and I believe he can do well for us." Gate City finished 7-4 last season, falling in the Region 2D playoffs to Graham, with turnovers being a key factor in that loss and others during the season. "We have just got to learn from those mistakes. It happens, we look back on it and what can we do better, and I think we can do that," Jenkins said. "We have just got to cut down on the penalties and get the snaps. That may have been a little bit of a problem last year, but I think we have got it down this year so I think we can do it." Jenkins is excited for what the season holds, with Dobyns-Bennett, Union and Ridgeview among the foes also visiting Legion Field. "I think we can accomplish what we want to accomplish," he said. "If we keep our nose down and just grind I think we can do what we want to do and get that ultimate goal which is a state championship." That has happened in Gate City five times before, with the last title coming in 2010. Jenkins hopes to bring the avid Blue Devils' fan base more to cheer about in the season ahead. "It is special, it really is," Jenkins said. "We have all this community, all these fans that never leave us no matter what, no matter how we play, they are always loving us. We haven't had a state championship in a while, but I feel like that is coming soon, I feel like we can do it for sure."