2016 NFL Draft: Auburn’s Jonathan Jones Scouting Report
By Jon Dove
Auburn’s Jonathan Jones Scouting Report
Jonathan Jones turned a lot of heads with his blazing 40-time at the combine. That performance put him on everyone’s radar, but his play on the field should have already earned him some attention. Jones isn’t just an elite athlete he is also a talented football player.
His speed wasn’t the first thing I noticed, as his toughness and willingness to support the run immediately jumps off the screen. Jones attacks the ball carrier and looks to deliver big hits. He doesn’t let his lack of size or bulk keep him away from contact.
In coverage, Jones spends the majority of his time in man coverage playing a trail technique. This allows him to use his speed to keep pace with the receiver and then get his head around when the ball is in the air.
He features solid ball skills and the ability to properly time his jumps. However, his lack of size and strength is a concern when facing bigger wide receivers. It’s possible that Jones could be forced to spend the majority of his time in the league working out of the slot.
Fortunately, Jones is a smooth mover who’s capable of keeping in-phase with his target. His combination of speed, change of direction ability and toughness make him a good candidate to excel as a slot cornerback.
It’s important to note that the slot corner is one of the more important positions on the field. This is because NFL offenses feature a lot of 3-wide receiver formations which require an extra defensive back to be on the field.
Draft Range- 2nd Round