Jenkins, a two-time Super Bowl champion, is a "leader on and off the field" and is "the perfect person to celebrate the resiliency and promise of our Class of 2020 grads," school officials said Thursday.
"We are so proud of all of our graduates. They have displayed incredible resilience the past few months as so many circumstances outside of their control dictated how they would end their senior year of high school," said Superintendent William Hite. "These students deserve to be celebrated in a special way, so I'm especially grateful to Malcolm Jenkins for agreeing to serve as our commencement speaker. We're looking forward to honoring this outstanding group of students as they embark on this next chapter after high school."
Jenkins, whose six-year stint with the Philadelphia Eagles ended this year, is now back with the New Orleans Saints.
Jenkins is a Pro Bowl safety, but his work off the field and commitment to community are two reasons the district and the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia believe Jenkins is the ideal person to speak to the graduating seniors, the school district said in a news release.
"In addition to his work advocating for social justice, the star athlete is very involved with community engagement and charitable work in several cities across the country through The Malcolm Jenkins Foundation," the release said.
The online graduation for the Class of 2020 will take place at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 9.
It will be streamed online and on television.
The ceremony will also include an original performance by a graduating senior, remarks by students and Mayor Jim Kenney, a video collage and more.