Kent is arguably the finest athlete to wear an Oregon uniform since Hall of Famer Mel Renfro starred in track and football for the Ducks. The first accomplished three-sport athlete in the collegiate ranks since 2001-02, Kent has been a valuable performer on Oregon's basketball and track teams before joining the football team in 2005. He not only earned All-American honors in track, but also garnered All-Pac-10 Conference academic accolades in basketball, playing hoops for his father, Ernie Kent, who has compiled 149 victories during his eight years as the OU head coach.

Jordan Kent concentrated on track and basketball, lettering four times in each sport while leading Churchill High to the state title in both sports as a junior, then again in track as a senior. He was a first-team all-state basketball selection who averaged 18 points per game while leading Churchill to a 20-4 record during his senior season. As a junior, he averaged 12.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists for the Lancers and scored 20 points in the state title game vs. Benson High. He later competed in the Nike All-America Basketball Camp in July 2001.

In 2005, Kent lettered in track, basketball and football where he garnered All-American and All-Pac-10 honors in track. In football, Kent appeared in eight games as a reserve receiver, catching three passes for 114 yards (38-yard average) and a touchdown. After the season, he rejoined the basketball team and appeared in 25 games, starting 15 as a combination forward. He averaged 3.0 points per game and was third on the squad in rebounding at 4.4 per game. Kent was on the Pac-10 second team for academics and named the basketball team's Harry Ritchie Scholar-Athlete and RADM John Dick Defensive Player of the Year award winner.

The following year, Kent competed in the 200- (21.15) and 400-meter dashes (46.95) while competing on the 4x100- (39.74) and 4x400-meter (3:06.80) relays. He anchored the 4x100-meter relay team that won the school's first-ever Pac-10 title and returned later in the day to score points for the Ducks in the 200 meters (seventh, 21.15) and 4x400-meter relays (second, 3:06.75).

The four-time track all-American then dedicated himself to football for 2006. He started 12 of 13 games a flanker/H-Back, ranking second on the team with 44 receptions for 491 yards (11.2-yard average) and four touchdowns. He also gained 22 yards on a reverse. He finished his gridiron career with 47 receptions for 605 yards (12.9 avg.), including five touchdowns, while gaining 22 yards on one reverse.

Positives: Has a solidly built frame with room to carry at least another 15 pounds of bulk with no loss in quickness … Runs with a fluid stride and, unlike most tall receivers, he has learned to stay lower in his pads to generate better hip snap when trying to elude … Has above-average flexibility extending for the high passes and demonstrates the change-of-direction agility and body control to gain yardage after the catch … Relies on his burst to gain an open release vs. a lethargic cornerback and has made great improvement in his stride, as he no longer takes a false step before moving (did this in 2005) … Has a long stride to sneak up on a defender, showing fine body adjustments to get to the ball … Comes off the ball with good urgency, keeping his pads down and hands extended to prevent from getting rerouted … Generates the suddenness to eat up a cushion and outstanding deep speed to run by the cornerbacks … Creates separation through his ability to maintain stride and generate a second gear after the catch … Has good hip snap and shake to elude and an explosive second gear … Can make even the speedier defender miss with his "juke-you-out-of-your-socks" agility … In the second level, he is much more effective at getting after and neutralizing the defensive backs, staying low in his pads and taking good angles to gain position … During the course of the 2006 season, you could see that he became more comfortable with his body control and balance, generating better explosion and fluidity in his route progression (see 2006 USC, California and Oregon State games) … A quick learner who has shown marked improvement recognizing zone coverage and where to settle into the area's soft spots … Has shown good courage working over the middle and once his concentration level improves (hears the defender's feet, at times), he will be an inviting target underneath … Has the short-area quickness to separate and has developed good hand placement to defeat the jam … Now takes sharper angle cuts and uses his long legs to separate after the catch … Knows how to use his body to push off the defender and get open … Does a good job of sinking his hips and coming out of his breaks cleanly … Appears more comfortable in a football uniform, as he uses his body control and balance to catch and turn with the ball without having to gather in his cuts … Puts himself in good position to catch the ball with his hands later in the 2006 season, showing better urgency attacking the ball outside of his frame … Has more quickness than most tall receivers and has shown nice hip wiggle and acceleration to gain yardage after the catch.

Negatives: Has worked hard to improve his overall strength in 2006, but could use more bulk on his lanky frame … With his quickness, agility, balance and body control, he has the athletic skills to develop, but will need patient coaching to teach him the intricacies of the game … Must work on timing his leaps, as there have been some jump-ball opportunities he failed to get to (see 2006 Washington State game), but he has made steady improvement each week, following the flight of the ball well (see 2006 USC and Oregon games) … Has large, natural hands, but must develop better consistency catching outside his frame rather than letting the ball into his body, as he will revert to body catching rather than extending and plucking the pigskin away from his frame.

Compares To: Marcus Robinson, Minnesota Vikings (South Carolina) … Kent was raw as sushi entering the 2006 season, but like Robinson, he is blessed with exceptional athletic ability, making him a potential second-day draft find. With his size and athletic ability, a patient coach could be greatly rewarded. It was evident during the course of the 2006 season that Kent greatly improved his plant-and-drive agility to be more crisp in and out of his cuts and he appeared much more comfortable extending for the ball. If he had concentrated on football for four years, he would be ranked among the elite at his position. Few players in this draft have as intriguing array of athletic ability and talent that Kent possesses.

THE MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE

Kent accomplished something few Division-I athletes have during the modern era. Lettering in football, men's basketball and track in 2005-06, Kent not only became the University of Oregon's first male athlete to letter in three or more different major sports during the same year since World War II, he became the first major college athlete in the country to do so in four years. A survey of sports information directors revealed that the last athlete to letter in three or more major NCAA sports during the same school year was North Texas' Adrian Awasom, who lettered in football, basketball and track during 2001-02. Prior to that, you have to go back to 1987-88, when Deion Sanders lettered in football, baseball and track at Florida State.

FOOTBALL

2002-03: Saw limited duty in long-jump events during the outdoor track season due to a slight groin strain.

2003-04: Missed the Fresno State (11/21/03) basketball game with a left ankle sprain and sat out the Washington State clash (2/14/04) with a right ankle sprain.

Campus: 4.43-40-yard dash (electronic) … 4.48 in the 40-yard dash … 4.04 in the 20-yard shuttle … 34-inch vertical jump … 235-pound bench press … 335-pound squat … 254-pound power clean … Five percent body fat … 35-inch arm length … 9 7/8-inch hands … Right-handed … Wears contacts.

Attended Winston Churchill (Eugene, Ore.) High School, playing basketball for head coach John Roche … Concentrated on track and basketball, lettering four times in each sport … He led Churchill High to the state title in both sports as a junior and again in track as a senior … All-state first-team basketball selection who averaged 18 points per game while leading his hoops team to a 20-4 record during his final year … Kent was twice named High School Athlete of the Year (2001-02) at the Oregon Sports Award banquet … Was the recipient of his school's Lancer Pride Award, given to the student who embodied what Churchill High was … As a junior, he averaged 12.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists for the Lancers and scored 20 points in the state title game vs. Benson High … Competed in the Nike All-America Basketball Camp in July 2001 … In track, he led the team to back-to-back state championships … In 2002, he became the first player in state history to win titles in four individual events, capturing the championships in the 400-, 200- and 100-meter dashes and the long jump as a senior … Also won the state titles in the 400- and 200-meter dashes and the long jump his junior season … As a sophomore, he won the state 400-meter dash title … Two-time state Track Athlete of the Year … Holds the state prep record in the 200-meters and the long jump … His career-best long jump of 25-1¾ broke the previous state 41-year-old record of 24-1¾ by Mel Renfro in 1960 … Named to the school's Honor Roll four straight years.

Graduated in May 2006 with a degree in Business Administration, but Kent has left open the possibility of returning to Oregon this spring (2007) to compete in his final season of outdoor track, where he is an All-American … One of three children (brother, Marcus and sister, McKenzie) of Dianna and Ernie Kent … His father is the head coach of the Oregon basketball team (1998-present) and had previous collegiate stops as a head coach at St. Mary's (1992-97) and as an assistant coach at Stanford (1990-91) and Colorado State (1988-89). Ernie Kent was also the head coach for the al-Khaleej Club, Sayhat, Saudi Arabia (1981-87), freshman coach at Oregon (1978, 1980) and head coach at O'Hara Catholic High School (1979). Ernie Kent was named 2002 Pac-10 Conference Coach of the Year and is the only coach to have led Oregon to three NCAA Tournament appearances, as well as Pac-10 regular season and tournament titles. He is the only coach in the Northwest to take his team to the NCAA Elite 8 this decade … Brother, Marcus, also played for the Oregon basketball team … Born Jordan Russell Kent on July 24, 1984 in Dhaharan, Saudi Arabia … Resides in Eugene, Ore.