Boisterous Barnett Setting Tone in Camp, Urgency at the Forefront

LARAMIE -- Lofty expectations have always tailed Braylon Jenkins.

The redshirt freshman was touted as one of the top prospects in the state of Iowa after a decorated prep career. The No. 5 overall offensive lineman, to be exact, according to the Des Moines Register. He also landed on the 5A All-State squad.

Jay Sawvel said Jenkins was the very first recruit he visited after landing the head coaching job at Wyoming back in early December of 2023.

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That initial signing day, he acknowledged, there was concern the three-star guard might be lured away by another school at last-minute. In-state programs like Iowa and Iowa State showed late interest. Mountain West rival Air Force was also in the mix.

Jenkins, an admitted overthinker, instead was the first rookie to ink on the dotted line.

"It's nice to know the coach has that much confidence in you, because it kind of gives you more of a fire to go and get better," he said, flashing a mouth full of braces, long curly hair bordering his youthful face. "He always says, 'speed up the process of growth.' That's so I can be my best self, faster."

Sawvel isn't the only one with unwavering faith in Jenkins.

Truth be told, that belief has been audible -- no, thunderous -- since the spring, courtesy of the guy who currently sits at the top of the depth chart at his position, Caden Barnett.

The fifth-year senior, who made the move from right tackle to guard this offseason, last Friday passionately urged the 6-foot-4, 314-pound Jenkins to finish the final period of practice, his helmet-less voice echoing throughout an empty War Memorial Stadium. It was relentless, each snap garnering added animation.

He's always in Barnett's crosshairs.

"Yeah, man, I love that kid," the Justin, Texas product said later that afternoon. "I'm hard on him because I know what he can be. He shows what he can be. Now, we just want him to do it all the time. We need it. We need it now, because he could be a great player for us this year. He can maul people, but it's just a matter of, OK, let's do it 10 times out of 10 times instead of five.

"He thinks too much and he's a very technical player."

How does Jenkins feel about the man constantly over his shoulder?

"I feel pressure, for sure," he said. "I also feel the love. I feel it all. So, that's what's good about it, I feel like."

Does he ever feel like telling him to zip it?

"Sometimes," Jenkins joked. "I always understand where he's coming from. I don't think it's ever from a place of hatred. It's always love, trying to get better. So, even if I don't like it, at the moment, I'll realize what it is really for."

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The smile that creased Sawvel's unshaven face says it all.

Leadership, he said this offseason, wasn't always a strong suit for this program last fall as it collectively limped to a 3-9 record. He did away with team captains, saying it limited the number of impactful voices in the locker room.

He doesn't want just four leaders, he wants "20 to 25" or even more.

Accountability wasn't always at the forefront, either.

That issue, too, is now a thing of the past, he added.

"You know, it's kind of the old Bible thing, right? To whom much is given, much is expected," Sawvel said from behind the podium. "Braylon Jenkins is an uber-talented guy. He has a physical body, extremely strong, quick, powerful. As far as athleticism goes, this is a power-conference lineman, easily. He has a huge ceiling.

"So, Caden Barnett being on him in period 24 is because of the fact, we need this guy to reach his potential, and we need him to reach it on Caden Barnett's timeline, not Braylon Jenkins' timeline, you know what I mean? It's great."

Barnett, who was named to the preseason All-Mountain West team, said elder-statesmen like Frank Crum used to ride him in practice. So did the likes of Logan Harris, Zach Watts and Keegan Cryder, among others. It created a sense of urgency, he said. It set a standard in the room.

Now, he's the teacher.

"Honestly, I try to be on everybody on this team," Barnett said. "I know a lot of people in my class are the same way, because we want this team to be great."

"There's a whole ownership within the team," Sawvel added. "Between what Caden Barnett does, what Jack Walsh does, what Jaylen Sargent does, what Ben Florentine does, it changes everything when you have that. So, that's the expectation, and there's a way different feel."

Jenkins, who lined up at tackle at Valley High School in West Des Moines, has been manning the right guard spot in fall camp. He admittedly needs to play "looser," trusting his instincts and strength.

That, he said with a grin, is the main culprit when it comes to the verbal jabs from No. 72.

Though it can be annoying in the heat of the moment, Jenkins added, the pay off will be worth it.

"They paved the way for new players, young players, and they show you how to do the right things so in the future you can follow in their footsteps and play in their shoes," he said. "It's great to have players like that."

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