ALFRED JENKINS

Alfred Jenkins became the Atlanta Falcons’ all-time leading receiver as the favorite target of Steve Bartkowski in the 1970s and ‘80s. In high school, he was a first-team all-state quarterback for a 9-1 Class B team. As a senior at Hogansville in Troup County, Jenkins rushed for 721 yards and scored 18 touchdowns, including six on kick returns. He put up more than 1,500 all-purpose yards and scored more than half the points on a team that finished ranked No. 7 in the Atlanta Journal rankings. As a defender, he intercepted seven passes. Jenkins was also MVP of his football and basketball teams and finished fourth in the Class B 100-yard dash. Though many larger colleges recruited him, Jenkins played in college at Atlanta’s Morris Brown College, then went undrafted in 1974, and signed with the Birmingham Americans of the new World Football League. His 1,471 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns helped win the league championship. Many consider Jenkins to be the best player to come out of the WFL. When the league folded, he signed with the Falcons and played all nine of his NFL seasons in Atlanta. His 6,267 receiving yards was the franchise record until 2000. Jenkins made two Pro Bowls and was first-team All-Pro in 1981. Jenkins was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.