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2018 NFL Draft: Justin Jones Scouting Report

By Jon Dove

RALEIGH, NC - NOVEMBER 04: Justin Jones
RALEIGH, NC - NOVEMBER 04: Justin Jones /
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NC State’s Justin Jones is a powerful 2018 NFL Draft defensive tackle prospect.

Justin Jones features a thick frame with good bulk in the lower half. He pairs that size with good raw strength which makes him one of the stronger run defenders in the 2018 NFL Draft class. Don’t be surprised if you hear Jones’ name called somewhere on the 2nd day of the draft.

Jones’ calling card is his strength and powerful play. He is an aggressive defender who fires off the ball and delivers a strong jolt. His size gives him the ability to anchor at the point of attack while his upper body strength helps him disengage.

This is an active defender who has a non-stop motor and is always in pursuit of the ball. His activeness means that he isn’t just a space-eater in that he will also make some tackles away from his frame.

Jones flashes surprising quickness for his size. This gives him the ability to close on the ball carrier and generate some pressure on the quarterback. However, he shouldn’t be seen as someone who will routinely make plans behind the line of scrimmage.

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His ability to penetrate would be helped if Jones played with a more consistent pad level. Too often, he raises his pads off the snap which hurts his quickness. It also exposes too much of his frame giving the blocker a chance to gain inside hand.

Jones has been able to overcome this issue at NC State because of his raw strength. However, NFL offensive linemen won’t be as easily tossed aside. Jones must focus on keeping low and in attack mode.

His non-stop motor provides optimism that Jones will take to coaching. He also has natural instincts and does a good job quickly locating the ball. This really shows up in the screen game where he feels the developing play.

Overall, Jones is a powerful run defender who can make some tackles in the run game. His combination of size and raw strength makes him a high floor prospect. The upside is also present for him to develop into a more disruptive player if he tweaks a few areas of his game.

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