EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings added a veteran wide receiver, along with substantial size to the position group Thursday by agreeing to terms with Jauan Jennings.
Originally a seventh-round selection by the 49ers in 2020, Jennings has spent his pro career thus far with San Francisco. He has 75 games (32 starts) under his belt and has recorded 210 catches for 2,581 yards (12.3 average) and 22 touchdowns.
Last season, Jennings started all 15 games he played and totaled 55 catches for 643 yards and a career-high nine touchdowns. He also started two playoff games for the Niners and had three catches for 68 yards.
Here are five things to know about the Vikings new receiver:
1. From high school QB to Volunteers WR
Before Jennings ever caught the ball, he shined as a passer. He played QB at Blackman High School (Tennessee), where as a senior he threw for 2,155 yards and 22 touchdowns; he also ran for 883 yards and 17 touchdowns and was named the 2014 Tennessean Player of the Year.
Jennings converted to wide receiver at Tennessee and was an immediate contributor his freshman season, nabbing three balls for 56 yards in his debut. Fun fact: He once threw a 58-yard touchdown pass to former QB Joshua Dobbs on a trick play.
Jennings' role continued to expand for the Volunteers, as he recorded his first 100-plus-yard receiving game in 2016, making three catches for a whopping 111 yards and a touchdown. He finished that season with 40 receptions for 580 yards and seven TDs.
Jennings played just one game during his junior season but bounced back in 2018 and shined in 2019, logging four games with at least 100 receiving yards.
He finished his collegiate career with 146 receptions for 2,153 yards and 18 touchdowns.
2. 'Elite' blocker in the run game
What's even better than a receiver who can make impressive grabs and get into the end zone? One who can do both of those things plus make some incredible blocks.
Jennings isn't afraid to do the dirty work, and his aggressiveness in the run game has been well-documented.
"We just love to get our running backs in the end zone, man," Jennings told Yahoo! Sports’ Matt Harmon ahead of Super Bowl LVIII. "And we understand to do that, most of the time that touchdown block is coming from a receiver on the edge.
"It's not as flashy as some of the other parts of the receiver job, but it definitely gets you a win and gets you to a stage like this," he added.
Niners Head Coach Kyle Shanahan said Jennings is probably the "most ferocious" run-blocking receiver he's coached.
"Our defense tried to fight him all last year because they thought he was going above and beyond," Shanahan said during a January 2024 press conference. "The next day in the meeting, I had to show them what he does every single play."
3. Athletic genes
Excelling in sports runs in Jennings' family.
His father, Bennie, was a four-year letterman at the University of North Alabama. He played offense and defense, spending most of his junior season on the latter side of the ball after being projected as an All-American tight end. Bennie switched back to offense for the 1990 season and helped UNA to an NCAA playoff berth. He was later instated to the school's hall of fame. Bennie signed as an undrafted rookie with the Buccaneers but did not appear in a game. He also was drafted by the Sacramento Surge of the World League of American Football.
Jennings' mother, Angela, shined in track-and-field and basketball at UNA. His older siblings Alexis and Kendal garnered attention on the basketball court. Alexis played collegiately at Kentucky and South Carolina.
4. Made a difference after disaster
In March 2020, a deadly tornado hit Tennessee and Jennings found a way to make a difference. He turned a scheduled autograph signing into a donation drop-off benefiting individuals and families affected by the tornado's destruction.
"This is a place that helped build who I am today," Jennings said at the time. "I had just gotten to Knoxville from the [NFL Scouting] Combine, and to wake up and see that call about the tornado and see the devastation that's happened, it broke my heart."
Jennings signed autographs for fans and met with youth but also continued organizing community donations.
5. And Jennings makes 6
The Vikings addition of Jennings means there are currently six Tennessee natives on Minnesota's roster.
Jennings joins Henry Byrd (Nashville), Theo Jackson (Nashville), Jordan Mason (Gallatin) and 2026 draft picks Jake Golday (Arlington) and Jakobe Thomas (Tullahoma).
Jennings will reunite in the Vikings locker room with Mason, whom he played with in San Francisco from 2022-24.
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