2020 NFL Draft: Houston’s Josh Jones demands respect in deep OT class

In a deep class of offensive tackles in the 2020 NFL Draft, the University of Houston’s Josh Jones is demanding the respect he deserves.

The talent at the offensive tackle position in the 2020 NFL Draft is a rather deep class, including the likes of the recently declared Andrew Thomas, Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs (should he declare), the Alabama duo of Alex Leatherwood and Jedrick Wills, Auburn’s raw but athletic Prince Tega Wanogho, and more. However, when discussing tackles in the 2020 NFL Draft, Houston’s Josh Jones demands not to be forgotten.

Jones has got the juice.

A senior for the Cougars, Jones has been a constant positive light on an otherwise down year for the program, a year where the team’s best quarterback and wide receiver redshirted in order to give themselves the opportunity to run it back in 2020. If you are a fan of a tackle who loves to bury defensive opponents and a guy who gets to the second level with ease, Jones is your guy.

Here we will take a look at the Houston offensive tackle, his strengths and weaknesses, and a potential projection for Jones as he prepares for the 2020 NFL Draft. In a deep tackle class, do not count out Jones to be one of the top-five taken as he has put together great film in 2019.

The Bio on Jones

Before Josh Jones has become one of the better-hidden names in this 2020 NFL Draft offensive tackle class, he was a well-hidden name coming out of high school as well. Just a three-star recruit in high school, Jones was just the 63rd overall tackle in 2015, and was the 81st overall recruit in the state of Texas coming out of George Bush High School.

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Looking at Jones’ film, it is easy to see his athleticism pop off the screen; he has a background as a high school basketball player as well, which makes too much sense. After redshirting as a freshman at Houston, Jones has been all business from 2016 to present for the Cougars.

Jones has been the Cougars’ full time starter at left tackle from his redshirt freshman and has held down the post for four years now in Houston. Missing just two games in that four year span, Jones has been a constant for the Cougars, and as a result, has not only improved his film, but gotten an invite to the 2020 Reese’s Senior Bowl.

The 6-7 and 310 pound athletic tackle has been named to Athlon Sport’s preseason All-American conference teams over the past three seasons.

Jones’ strengths

Outside of the obvious athleticism that Jones shows on film with his ability to pull with ease down the line, he shows a large quantity of strengths. Once the combine hits, Jones will not be flying under the radar much longer, as he looks like the kind of prospect who will produce eye-popping numbers in Indianapolis in the early Spring.

One of Jones’ best qualities is his quick wits and awareness at the tackle position. If all else fails, which it does not for Jones, smarts and athleticism are two strong traits to take a chance on (see: Prince Tega Wanogho). Especially in a zone blocking scheme, Jones’ ability to skip and flip to the next defender off the edge with such fluidity and mobility is a trait that cannot be overlooked.

Using his size and length well, Jones provides an excellent initial punch to his opponents off the edge, knocking them off of their route to the quarterback. The Houston tackle is a nasty, gritty player who loves to bury his opponents in both passing and run sets; if he gets his signature arm chop on you, his next move is to finish.

Mobile, agile, and powerful, Jones has the size and tools at 6-7 and 310 pounds to make an elite tackle at the next level. He does, however, have some areas of his game to improve upon as well.

Jones’ weaknesses

While there are a ton of positives to Jones’ game as previously mentioned, there are a few areas for him to clean up as he continues to prepare for the 2020 NFL Draft. Jones is tantalizing for sure, but has some work to do on the lower half of his body as he looks to sharpen his technique.

At times, Jones will flash great footwork in pass protection, but has the potential to get too comfortable and potentially lazy with his mechanics. His first step can begin to shorten, his feet can turn to blocks, and he can lose the leverage of his 6-7 frame as defenders get into his body.

As a result of iffy footwork and mechanics below the waist, Jones can oftentimes lose strength, compromising his anchor on the edge. Again, in rushing sets, Jones will rarely lose at the point of attack and often gets to the second level with relative ease, but in pass sets, occasionally the Houston tackle can get pushed back off the line of scrimmage, collapsing the pocket in on his quarterback.

Jones is a much more polished run blocker than pass blocker, but if he cleans up his mechanics and displays more consistent attention to detail to his footwork, then he has all the makings of an all-around constant and reliable offensive tackle at the next level.

Closing the book on Jones

Currently sitting with a second round grade, Jones has the chance to be a massive riser throughout this pre-draft process as he is sure to light up the combine in March, and will have the ability to showcase his skills in one-on-one matchups down in Mobile, Alabama next month at the Senior Bowl. If Tytus Howard, Alabama State’s riser from a year ago, can go in the first round, then Jones can absolutely hear his name called in the top 32.

With the league shifting towards a pass-heavy, versatile, option-based league, drafting an offensive tackle who is well versed in the run-pass scheme could be a massive advantage for any team in the National Football League. Some ideal landing spots for Jones include the Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams, and Cincinnati Bengals.

Thomas, Wirfs, Wills, and Leatherwood are all of the rage right now, but there is a real potential to see a handful of tackles go in the first round, potentially more. Jones is gathering steam, the momentum is rolling in his favor, and it is hard to foresee the train slowing down at this point; the arrow is pointing directly up for the Houston standout as he begins to transition towards the 2020 NFL Draft.