Months ago, I gave all the CBs a perfunctory five minute look-see and came away with a luke-warm view of UConn's Byron Jones. I didn't see many negatives or positives, so I just put him atop a pike and forgot about him, but perhaps the nature of the CB position is that the best go unnoticed. Fast forward, he incinerates the Combine and his stellar track record on the field is getting attention. You convinced me to take another look, and boy I'm glad I did. First, it's important to know he injured his shoulder this past camp. Even though he knew it would get worse with every play, he decided to tough it out for his team. Before they finally pulled him, they had to put his labrum back in twice in his final game. Knowing this, a lot of his weaknesses make more sense (and some are completely absent from his pre-injury film). So read the following with a big asterisk. His biggest weakness to me is a lack of strength (perhaps shoulder related) in the upper body despite having the musculature. He's not a wrap up tackler in run support, and not a great press corner. Not particularly effective as a blitzer, either. Will get dragged and carried by powerful offenders. I'd guess he won't have many sacks or FFs at the next level. I also question how he will handle huge WRs at the next level. No value as a nickel, not special navigating tight spaces. Can be too cautious when tracking ball-carriers. Surprisingly, lacks a second gear. There's been a big discussion about his hips and back-pedal, and I think they are valid concerns. For someone who is so athletic, he's very average at turning around. I'd say his change-of-direction, and quick twitch ability, in general is average. There is a noticeable difference when he is running backwards and forwards. Do I think he needs to get lower in his back-pedal? Nah, he seems to compensate pretty darn well with his speed in the 4.3s. However, if you're really stuck on that, understand it might be because he is still learning how to be effective near the LOS. After a red shirt freshman year, he spent the next two seasons playing safety, and was was hurt almost half he year this year. So he should improve, and if he doesn't, he proves an extremely interesting candidate to return to the safety position. Still it seems like nit-picking, as his 26.3 allowed passer rating will attest to. The reason it stands out is because, in every other facet, Jones is an elite athlete. He showed it at the Combine by being a top performer at his position in every drill he participated in. He set the Combine (and World) record in the broad jump, and came within a half an inch of the Vertical record. (Comically, he didn't even know they recorded a World Record for the broad jump, so he was very surprised to hear the news.) He will instantly become the best jumper in NFL history once he is drafted. (Heck, his twitter name is @Byron16jump.) A caveat, I think he relies a little too much on his jumping prowess, and coaches at the next level may try to get him focus that ability at being more disruptive at the point of the catch, instead of aggressively playing the ball. However, making plays on the ball is in his heart. He played WR in high school, and his strengths are commensurate with that experience. In his own words, his WR days are characterized by "great hands, great ball skills...to go up and get the ball". He makes plays on the ball as good as any DB in the draft. He also has an instinctual understanding of how a WR will run their route, displaying fine coverage ability. Jones' discipline is extraordinary, and gives me great hope that he correct the flaws of his inexperience. Consistently puts himself in the correct position, not easily fooled by WR tricks. He's a smart, well-spoken, extremely handsome student with a million-dollar-smile and a B+ average in Econ, a team captain and a coach's dream. I've always believed the difference between "good" and "great" aren't highlight reel plays, anyone can get lucky, but it's doing all the easy things correct every single time (see Jarvis Landry), and Jones, despite his inexperience, shows flashes of that ability. Honestly, if Miami is interested in Charles Gaines in the fourth, then they must be gushing over the gold star version in Jones in the second. However, it doesn't seem he will last. I'd prefer Waynes or J Collins at 14, but I'd be very please with Jones after a trade down in the first. He's an elite combination of athleticism, discipline and potential. [video=youtube_share;5S0q-odVmpQ]http://youtu.be/5S0q-odVmpQ[/video]
Here's the 2013 Michigan game where he is a much better tackler than in 2014: [video=youtube_share;5uXpEtBsUp4]http://youtu.be/5uXpEtBsUp4[/video]
