Oregon Football: Jalen Jelks is Ducks’ 2017 defensive MVP

In his fourth year in Eugene, Jalen Jelks finally broke out as a critical component of Jim Leavitt’s defense. For that, he is the 2017 Oregon defensive MVP.

Recruited out of Desert Vista High School in Phoenix, Jalen Jelks arrived in the Pacific Northwest at the University of Oregon in 2014. Jelks burned his redshirt in his first season in Eugene, familiarizing himself with the hybrid 3-4 scheme of then-defensive coordinator Don Pellum. Once 2015 rolled around and Jelks started to take the field, he posted three sacks and three tackles for loss in a reserve role on the defensive line.

It seemed like 2016 would be his season to break out, but a lack of familiarity with the 4-3 favored by new defensive coordinator Brady Hoke set back his progress. Jelks played in eight games for the Ducks as a redshirt sophomore in 2016, notching 31 total tackles. Though he managed to get four tackles for loss and two sacks, a combination of the scheme change and injuries hampered Jelks’ ability to stay on the field or find any consistency in his play.

Cue 2017. With the wholesale departure of Mark Helfrich and his offensive and defensive staffs, the opportunity was there for a fresh start for Jelks. He seized the opportunity to rediscover his form in a more familiar defensive scheme. The 3-4 of Jim Leavitt wasn’t far off what Jelks had learned during his freshman year, and he excelled in a familiar defense.

There’s no place like home

For Jelks, the switch truly flipped upon his return home to face Arizona State in Tempe. In a tight 37-35 defeat in #Pac12AfterDark action against the Sun Devils, Jelks posted five tackles for loss and three sacks. He finished the night with nine total tackles, but it wasn’t enough to will the Ducks to victory as they dropped their first of the year.

Jelks continued his strong play after that, getting into the backfield all throughout the year. He was great at swatting down passes as well, as evidenced by this knockdown of a Luke Falk pass.

In similar fashion, he was all over the field in the Las Vegas Bowl defeat against Boise State. Jelks notched nine tackles against the Broncos. His disruptive presence on the line also opened the door for other big plays by Ducks teammates.

Next: 3 takeaways from loss to Boise State in Las Vegas Bowl

Jelks will almost certainly be headed to the NFL Draft this year, after evolving from a raw prospect into one of the top defensive linemen in the Pac-12 this season. The influence of Jim Leavitt and the new defensive staff certainly paid dividends as Jelks helped anchor a defensive turnaround in Eugene in 2017.