Cornerbacks are part of a defense and members of a team, of course, but they are often on an island — not in the Tom Hanks/“Cast Away’’ sense, but in that they often do their best work in isolation, one-on-one with a receiver.
Janoris Jenkins in many ways is the quintessential cornerback. He is quirky and confident, upbeat and unusual, insisting everyone call him “Jackrabbit’’ and giving off an unflappable vibe after wins and losses, offering up the same persona after a pass breakup or a blown coverage, never sweating the small stuff.
Jenkins started all 16 games last season for just the second time in his seven-year NFL career, but it was not vintage Jackrabbit.