St. Louis Rams’ CB Janoris Jenkins a Pro Bowl Caliber Defender

There hasn’t been much to get excited about for St. Louis Rams’ fans over the last half-decade, but it seems like times may be changing. After a standout performance in week 12 with two interceptions returned for touchdowns, the thought of rookie cornerback Janoris Jenkins making the Pro Bowl this season in his rookie year has to be entertained. Among the corners in the NFC, he may be the one of the best three options available in the voting process.

Clearly the discussion at cornerback begins with Chicago Bears’ ballhawk Charles Tillman this season as he has scored two defensive touchdowns, but in addition to his two interceptions, Tillman has forced a league-leading seven fumbles. His ability to make turnovers happen is priceless for the Bears and has vaulted them near the top of the conference.

His teammate Tim Jennings is no slouch either, as he leads the league in interceptions by a large margin with eight already. He too has scored one touchdown defensively this season and is tied for the league lead in passes defended with 18. His complete stat sheet certainly warrants a Pro Bowl bid in 2012.

Then there are a handful of players that enter the discussion as possibilities to make the trip to Hawaii. Among those are Patrick Peterson of the Arizona Cardinals whose special teams value makes him a fan favorite and both Seattle Seahawks teammates Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman, who have each impressed this season with their lanky builds and ability to blanket even the tallest, fastest receivers in the league.

Given the competition at the corner position in the NFC, Jenkins may have to wait until next year to get his first Pro Bowl selection despite his 12 passes defended, three interceptions, and two defensive scores. Even still, the Rams have to be pleased with the growth that they have seen from their second round gamble in the 2012 NFL Draft. If he continues to develop and gain maturity over the coming years, the secondary in St. Louis will quickly become a strength for the team.

Follow Anthony Blake on Twitter @AnthonyMBlake or on Facebook at Anthony Mizarkus Blake