2021 NFL Draft: The Patrick Jones II hype train is gaining steam

Jones II the next in line of Pitt defenders?

Donald is a dominant player for the Rams. He is on his way to a historic career putting his name up there with the best of all time. In the 2021 draft, the Panthers have some top talent on defense in defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman, Safety Paris Ford, and Edge Patrick Jones II.

Coming into Pitt, Jones was one of the top recruits in Virginia landing him over other ACC rivals Virginia Tech and Duke. In his first two years at Pitt, he was redshirted and appeared in 10 games as a rotational player.

Dan Schmelzer at NFL Mocks agrees that Jones II is a definite name to keep an eye on:

"“Jones shows a ton of initial burst out of his stance and plenty of flexibility around the corner. He is a quick and explosive player who can win with straight speed around the outside but also shows an impressive quick inside move as well. Jones’ natural athleticism immediately stands out on tape and will undoubtedly be an asset at the next level, but he pairs it with strong hands, long arms and great on-field awareness that gives him a strong overall game (Schmelzer via NFL Mocks).”"

In 2018, Jones put up some good numbers in the limited snaps he played as he still didn’t start for the Panthers. Jones really exploded on the scene in 2019 as becoming one of the top ends in the ACC. He recorded 43 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, and 18 quarterback hurries.

Heading into his last season of eligibility, Jones II has racked up a career total of 19.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, 12.5 sacks, and five forced fumbles when getting after the quarterback. Another leap like the one he made a year ago, and Patrick Jones II could be talked about as a first round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.