FIU Football: Can Keyone Jenkins take the next step for the Panthers?

FIU Panthers quarterback Keyone Jenkins is in a great position to build upon his 2024 season and bring FIU back to relevance under new head coach Willie Simmons.

What does Jenkins bring to the table? How can he uplift an offense? And how can he help the Panthers have success?

We will answer all of these questions and more today! It is time to get the 2025 edition of the Player Profiles rolling!

FIU Football: Who is Keyone Jenkins?

A two-year starter for the Panthers, Jenkins was a member of FIU’s 2023 recruiting class, choosing the Panthers over Auburn and Morehouse College. The quarterback attended Miami Central High School and was a standout throughout his time at the school. According to his 24/7 Sports profile, Jenkins completed 89 of 142 passing attempts for 21 touchdowns and three interceptions while also adding four rushing touchdowns in his 2022 senior season. In 2021, Jenkins had 1,283 yards passing and 17 touchdowns, helping his school win a Florida 5A state title.

At FIU, Jenkins has consistently improved over his two seasons. In 2023, Jenkins threw for 11 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and 2,416 yards. He had 17 big-time throws, but also had 21 turnover-worthy plays. Yet, 2024 was essentially the “breakout” for Jenkins.

The quarterback threw for 2,560 yards, 22 touchdowns, and only eight interceptions. He raised his big-time throw total to 19 while dropping his turnover-worthy play total to 15. He also raised his ADOT to 10.6, took 17 sacks compared to 40 in 2023, and dropped his average time to throws. Jenkins also added 197 yards and two touchdowns in 2024.

Strengths

As a passer, Jenkins is a fun player for the Panthers.

The FIU quarterback is decisive over the middle of the field and has a quick trigger. More importantly, though, Jenkins is accurate when he decides to throw the ball. Whether he sees the routes open or anticipates them, he lets the ball rip into tight windows and puts the ball right into the passing window of his pass-catchers.

Jenkins also has the arm strength to make plays happen down the field. The FIU starter can hit go routes in stride, nail post routes with anticipation, and make impressive throws outside of the numbers to his wideouts. The numbers back this up, too. Jenkins had 768 yards, three touchdowns, and only one interception on throws 20 yards or more down the field.

On top of his impressive throwing abilities, Jenkins can make full use of his athletic ability at the quarterback position. He can easily escape pressure from defenders, showcasing an impressive ability to keep his eyes downfield or take off running. He can make throws from all types of platforms and has a good ability to reset his feet outside the pocket. Jenkins is also a good threat as a runner, using his speed to pick up yards on designed runs or scrambles.

Overall, Jenkins has high-end traits and the potential to take another leap in 2025. However, there are some things that need to be improved for the FIU quarterback ahead of this season.

Areas of Improvement

As a passer, Jenkins tends to make some bad decisions over the course of a game. Due to having a very high level of skill, the Panthers’ quarterback is always trying to make a play happen. Which, can often cause him to get into some trouble.

Jenkins can occasionally force a ball into a window that is not there, allowing defenders to make a break on the throw. After escaping the pocket, he can sometimes go big-play hunting instead of taking what the defense is giving to him. In the midst of chaos, these decisions can lead to turnovers as well.

The quarterback also has moments where his ball loses steam, specifically on throws outside the numbers. A main example was against Florida Atlantic last season. On a throw he hit on countless other occasions, Jenkins saw a boundary throw hang up on him and get picked off. However, I found this to be odd.

More often than not, Jenkins hits players in stride downfield and has no issues pushing the ball outside the numbers. These sporadic moments, however, can kill drives and positive momentum for the Panthers, making it a critical area of improvement for Jenkins.

Additionally, Jenkins simply needs to hold onto the ball better as an overall player. While he decreased the total he had from 2023, Jenkins still fumbled the ball 11 times in 2024. This comes with the territory of being a playmaker, as Jenkins’ desire to always have his eyes downfield and make something positive happen can occasionally result in loose ball security. This does not include sacks that occur when the offensive line is beaten, which also contribute to Jenkins’ total.

At the end of the day, though, ball security is job security at every level of football. Jenkins must take another step to improve his fumbling in 2025, or it will start to cancel out some of the great things he does for the FIU offense.

2025 Outlook with the FIU Panthers

As we head toward the 2025 season, what is the outlook for Keyone Jenkins with FIU? Objectively, I would say the quarterback could be in store for a massive season.

One reason is the new offensive scheme for FIU. New head coach Willie Simmons brings a very versatile and modern scheme to the Panthers, while returning offensive coordinator Nick Coleman remains a steady presence for Jenkins. From what I saw in the spring, Simmons and Coleman will have this scheme designed to fit the quarterback’s strengths and put him in position to succeed.

The Panthers have also made a concerted effort to load up on offense to replace its departing pieces. Running backs Anthony Carrie and Sterling Joseph are set to join a room that already includes Kejon Owens and Devonte Lyons.

Meanwhile, the wideout room added JoJo Stone, Alex Perry, and Tar’Varish Dawson from the transfer portal. They also have the likes of Kyle McNeal, Eric Nelson, and JuJu Lewis set to potentially breakout if given opportunities. And that does not even include the improvements made along the offensive line and the tight end position, which should help with blocking and pass-catching in key situations.

This season also provides some big-time matchups for Jenkins and the Panthers. They have to travel to Penn State, Western Kentucky, and UConn. Meanwhile, they host FAU, Jacksonville State, and Liberty. All of these opponents present tough challenges, yet with great opportunities to prove that the Panthers are on the rise in the greater college football landscape.

Jenkins is in a familiar environment returning to FIU this season. He also has what should be good coaching around him, with talent surrounding him at key positions. And, he has taken strides forward in every year of his career and improved in key categories.

I think that the highs of Jenkins will be on full display this season, whether Keyone it is ripping the ball down the field for big plays or using his athleticism to make miracles for FIU. How his overall season will pan out, though, is predicated on how he cleans up the turnovers, fumbles, and poor throws. If he does that, Jenkins could be a sleeper pick to become one of the most exciting quarterbacks in college football.