Dec 29, 2010; Washington, DC, USA; East Carolina Pirates wide receiver Justin Jones (84) leaps in the air to make a catch in front of Maryland Terrapins defensive back Cameron Chism (22) during the second half of the 2010 Military Bowl at RFK Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-US PRESSWIRE
Great teams are able to make plays and come away with points in the redzone. Nothing can help out your quarterback more in this area than having a big target.
Enter: East Carolina tight end, Justin Jones.
The name is probably unfamiliar. Jones was a moderately recruited 3-star tight end coming out of high school in North Carolina. Jones redshirted his freshman year at ECU and has battled injuries during his career there.
But he has shown he is adept at one thing: getting in the endzone.
Jones only has 32 career receptions (for 343 yards) which certainly doesn’t jump off the page. But the stat that sticks out is the fact that with those 32 receptions, nine have gone for touchdowns.
That is one touchdown every 3.5 receptions.
Jones’ scoring ability is largely due to his impressive size. Listed at 6’8” and 260 pounds, Jones is one of the biggest receiving options in the country. Add in his impressive arm length and leaping ability, and you have a player with an impressive range catching the ball.
Jones is still a very raw player and does not have overly impressive athleticism. He has also had injury issues in the past and thus he hasn’t had a great impact in his offense. But you have to give him credit for making the most of his opportunities when he does see the ball.
Jones still has one year of eligibility left and could come back if he doesn’t really improve his stats this year. He needs to bulk up and become a more complete player.
If he does come out this year, look for him to be a mid-late rounder that could come in and be a big target in the redzone as well as a special teams contributor.