OVERVIEW
Jones was not a household name outside of the Research Triangle during his time at North Carolina State, and was snubbed for all-conference honors by ACC coaches. League media recognized that he was an impact defender for the Wolfpack, however, giving him honorable mention notice in 2016 after he led the team with 109 tackles (four for loss) and three interceptions, also breaking up eight passes. Jones had started eight games as a true freshman, finishing second in the ACC with four interceptions (he also had seven pass break-ups for the year). In 2015, he was a solid starter but lacked many big plays (63 tackles, 2.5 for loss, one INT, two PBU).
ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS
Possesses prototypical combination of size and speed. Has acceleration and top-end speed to range all over the field. Plus athletic ability and reactive quickness. Has ability to disguise his coverage before sprinting back to centerfield. Has experience with both safety spots. Fluid in his movement and is an explosive leaper when challenging at the high-point. Has the ball skills to rake it or take it. Plays with eager eyes that stay glued to quarterback's intentions. Has the closing burst to challenge throws. Extremely aggressive. Bouncy feet can't wait to fire downhill and hit something. Accelerates through the collision. Does a good job of punching and playing off of blockers.WEAKNESSES
His aggression is a double-edged sword. Will come in too hot looking to lay the lumber and end up missing his mark as a tackler. Needs to do better job of coming to balance as a tackler. From zone coverage, can be a little slow to anticipate routes and squeeze the throwing windows. Gets hyper-focused on quarterback and will lose track of his assignments. Will bite on play-action bait and get drawn out of position.DRAFT PROJECTION
Round 2SOURCES TELL US
"This guy would just as soon hit you as look at you on the football field. Hey, it's fun to watch his tape because he's already got that NFL mentality to him, but he gets way out of control too. I saw that early on in the tape. You've got to rein him in a little bit." - AFC defensive backs coachNFL COMPARISON
Mike MitchellBOTTOM LINE
Jones is a height-weight-speed prospect to be sure, but he's not just a traits-based safety. Jones has the appetite for hitting that teams will want around the box and he has the speed and ball skills to range and help against vertical threats from a deep safety spot. The big area of concern will be Jones' ability to play with better discipline in coverage and as a tackler. He has the ability to become a good, long-time starter in the league.PLAYER OVERVIEW
A three-year starter at NC State, Jones started at strong safety his first two seasons for the Wolfpack before moving to free safety in 2016, spending most of his time in the boundary and seeing his productive skyrocket. He also saw snaps at cornerback and linebacker and lined up all over the formation as NC State's version of Jalen Ramsey. While he isn't the physical marvel that made Ramsey a top-five pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Jones is a big, rangy athlete with the play strength, versatility and developing football intelligence that translate well to the NFL game.
After redshirting in 2013, he became a starter at strong safety as a freshman in 2014 (eight starts) and finished second in the ACC with four interceptions. Jones started 11 games as a sophomore in 2015 and posted 64 tackles, three passes defended and one interception. He started all 13 games at free safety as a junior in 2016 and led the team with 109 tackles, 11 passes defended and three interceptions, but was overlooked for the postseason All-ACC team.
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
STRENGTHS: Looks the part with his height, length and build. Explodes out of a cannon on his tackling angles, accelerating in a flash. Speedy in pursuit to track down ballcarriers from behind. Aggressive hug-and-finish tackler in the open field. Creates stopping power with his downhill demeanor. Physical take-on skills to attack and tear through blocks. Evades blocks with bobs and weaves, finding the ballcarrier in the lane. Quick diagnose skills to sense what is about to happen, keeping his eyes on the prize. Steady at the catch point to find the ball and finish interceptions. Versatile experience across the secondary, including inside cornerback and both safety spots (32 career starts). Improved focus, work habits and maturity in 2016, showing better accountability.WEAKNESSES: Upright in his movements, lacking sink to smoothly redirect his momentum. Late to flip and attach to receivers in coverage, losing momentum to wasted steps. Bites on the backfield action. Anticipates well, but he is still learning how to recognize various limbs on the route tree. Struggles with double moves and combos. Needs to tweak his tackling technique to consistently wrap and finish. Pad level can be problematic at times. Wild hands when taking on contact, allowing blockers to attack his chest and drive him backwards.
--Dane Brugler (2/5/17)
