22 Aug Preseason Scouting Notes: Jack Jones, CB, Arizona State
Redshirt Senior | 5’9″ 170 lbs | Long Beach, CA
An athletic DB with good overall coverage ability who contributes on special teams, but has a smaller build that could overshadow his other traits
Overview:
Jack Jones served as a rotational corner in the Arizona State 4-3 defense in 2019 after transferring into Herm Edwards’ program from Junior College. He was originally enrolled at USC where he started every game as a true sophomore for the Trojans. He went the JuCo route after being dismissed from the USC program due to academic eligibility issues and pleading guilty to misdemeanor commercial burglary. The former 5-star prospect from Long Beach Poly will be a redemption story to keep an eye on as the draft approaches, but one that could be hurt by the season cancelation due to Covid-19.
Strengths:
– Athletic and agile with the ability to mirror and match receivers in man coverage
– Smooth backpedal that he can plant and explode out of
– Disciplined hips against double moves
– Disruptive at the catch point. Attacks the ball and prevents receivers from getting their hands on it cleanly
– Displays good ball tracking ability on deep balls and sufficient ball skills
– Displays a willingness to help against the run and fill alleys
– Has experience as a returner and gunner on special teams units
Areas to improve:
– Thin frame that needs more mass to counter balance his shorter stature
– Has a tendency to sit back on his heels when he has deep responsibility in zone coverage, opening himself up to getting beat de
– Jam at the line of scrimmage needs more strength and physicality
– Significant mismatch in jump ball scenarios due to his size
– Needs to be a better form tackler. Mainly resorts to dive tackling and drag down tackles instead of wrapping up and driving through
– Overall physicality in general is less than sufficient
Injury concerns:
N/A
Projection:
Jones has the coverage ability to contribute on an NFL team, but his size will significantly limit what roles he can fill at the next level. His physicality and size will be the main issue that teams find, and with larger more physical corners trending upwards, potential roles could be few and far between. He will most likely only be used on the inside in nickel packages against smaller receivers, as bigger bodied receivers on the outside will be a mismatch issue. Contributing on special teams will be essential for him to have a sustained career. Teams that favor the nickel package and need more depth in the corner room can pick him up on Day 3 or as a priority free agent.
What to watch 2020:
The primary issue for Jones is his size. He will need to put on muscle mass to make up for his height, and this could help him become more physical in his overall game. Becoming a better form tackler will also help him improve his standing with teams. Remaining on his toes and not getting flat footed in zone coverage so he does not get beat deep will be something to keep an eye on. Finally, with the PAC-12 cancelling their season, he will not hav the opportunity to play a more significant role in the Sun Devil defense, so he will have to find a way to prove he was more than a rotational player like he was in 2019.
- Played 4 years of college football as a Defensive Tackle and Long Snapper at Division 3 Rhodes College.
- Experience in data collection/analysis/scouting for both Football and Baseball.
- Georgia native and firm believer that Georgia sports teams are cursed.