Jauan Jennings drops the best quote of the offseason and it perfectly captures who the former Vol is as a player

Former Tennessee Vols wide receiver Jauan Jennings has earned a reputation over the last nine years (since his true freshman season at UT) for being an ultimate competitor.

Jennings, who is entering his fifth season with the San Francisco 49ers, isn't the fastest guy on the field. He's not the biggest, either. And he doesn't put up gaudy numbers.

Yet he's one of the most respected players in the NFL, due simply to the fact that he competes his tail off on every rep, whether it's a game or a practice. And he doesn't care what job he's asked to do, he's going to do it to the best of his ability regardless of who is or isn't watching.

That elite competitive mentality led to Jennings receiving a contract extension with the 49ers this offseason worth $15.4 million.

Jennings recently spoke to the San Francisco Chronicle and he dropped a quote that perfectly captures why he's so beloved by his 49ers teammates.

The former Tennessee standout knows that not everyone is going to notice him on the field with superstars like George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and Christian McCaffrey on the roster. But he doesn't care. Jennings just wants to do his job.

“I’m here to do whatever’s asked of me,” said Jennings . “And I think that’s the reason why I got paid because I do that... Not everyone is going to notice Jauan Jennings. And I understand it. There’s a lot of talent on this team. But that’s not my focus.”

That's the definition of selfless. Jennings is a key player for one of the best teams in the NFL. And yet he has no ego. That's rare.

And it's why 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan says Jennings is so respected in the locker room.

"He (Jennings) does it every day out here," said Shanahan . "The way he is in practice is the same way he is in games. The guy is an ultimate competitor. Look at what he did in college at Tennessee. Just Google his highlight tape from college. He’s always made plays, whether the ball is in hands or not. Guys respect people like that. And he’s probably one of the more respected guys on the whole team.”

Jennings may not have elite physical abilities like a Tyreek Hill or a DK Metcalf, but he's undoubtedly a special football player.

Related: Quote from Nico Iamaleava shows why Vols fans should no longer worry about a big issue that plagued Tennessee in 2022 and 2023