2015 NFL Scouting Report: Byron Jones

Byron Jones Scouting Report

[NOTE FROM ADAM: This scouting report is a guest post from the very talented Jackson McIntire who is making his Vikings Territory debut through this article. Please give him a big welcome and be sure to follow his work at The Viking Age and on Twitter.]

Each and every year there are a couple of prospects who look like men amongst boys at the NFL Combine and force scouts and analysts alike to go back and take a second look at their film. Over the past few years, a few prospects who drastically helped their draft stock due to a monstrous Combine performance are Stephen Hill, D.J. Hayden, Dontari Poe, Desmond Trufant, Martavis Bryant, Dri Archer, and Aaron Donald. This year, the two biggest standouts were UConn cornerback Byron Jones and Georgia receiver Chris Conley. The former is an interesting story.

After starting for two years as a safety for the Huskies, UConn lost both starting cornerbacks Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Dwayne Gratz to the NFL, forcing head coach Paul Pasqualoni to switch Jones’ position and help fill the vacancy. Prior to Jones’ stellar Combine, I had briefly watched some tape on him, but ultimately decided to leave him just out of my top 50. After witnessing Jones nearly jump out of the building, both vertically and horizontally, I needed to go back and take a second look. After watching tape on a few of his games, I was thoroughly impressed. Often times a player will excel at the Combine only to boast underwhelming film, but Jones was able to break this trend.

In this article, I will list Jones’ measurements as well as his Combine numbers and collegiate production, provide a thorough breakdown, give a pro-player comparison, detail where Jones fits in with the other cornerbacks in this draft class and explain his fit in the Minnesota Vikings defense.

Measurements and Combine Results:

NOTE: Jones did not run the 40 yard dash at the combine so his pro day time is listed.

*=Combine record

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 199 lbs

Arm Length: 32”

Hands: 10”

Vertical Jump: 44.5”

Broad Jump: 12’3”(147”)*

40 Yard Dash: 4.36-4.39 seconds

3-Cone Drill: 6.78 seconds

20 Yard Shuttle: 3.94 seconds

60 Yard Shuttle: 10.98 seconds

Collegiate Production:

2011: 12 games, 51 total tackles, 2 interceptions, 6 passes defended.

2012: 12 games, 87 total tackles, 1 interception, 3 passes defended.

2013: 12 games, 60 total tackles, 3 interceptions, 8 passes defended.

2014: 7 games, 24 total tackles, 2 interceptions, 4 passes defended.

While there appears to be quite a significant drop-off in production from 2013 to 2014, that can be attributed to Jones’ position shift as cornerbacks don’t get nearly as many opportunities to make tackles as safeties. The fact that he didn’t play in all games obviously contributes to his low numbers as well.

Breakdown (Pros):

  • Good height and length. Fits perfectly into the new-era prototype cornerback. Uses length well on the outside to consistently contest catches and jam at the line.
  • Plays physical vs the run. A great example was a double-reverse Michigan ran that Jones sniffed out, barreled a blocker backwards, and made the tackle on the ball-carrier behind the line of scrimmage.
  • Good instincts and ball-skills likely acquired from his time at safety. Excels at getting his head around and locating the ball.
  • Good fluidity and change of direction skills on routes where he doesn’t need to break back to the ball. Showed great recognition and mirror skills on slants, posts, and go routes specifically.
  • Turns and runs with receivers well. It is hard for opposing QBs to throw over him, as his good size and length come into play here once again.
  • Possesses good speed and leaping ability. Shows good recovery speed and good closing speed.
  • Leader on and off the field. Good kid.
  • Generally shows a good understanding of the game of football. As a four year player, he has had time to learn the ins-and-outs of the game. Due to his time at safety, instincts, and his experience, he has developed into quite the zone-corner.

Breakdown (Cons):

  • Often times gets a good jam on the receiver but backpedals too quickly when there is no need to. I would like to see him be more physical and hold his jam on the receiver for a longer period of time.
  • While he shows good fluidity and change of direction skills on certain routes, he struggles on routes that require him to break back towards the line of scrimmage. While he struggles on these routes regardless, it is even more evident after he opens his hips.
  • Doesn’t play low enough or have enough knee bend. Keeps his center of gravity too high, which affects his balance and is the cause of his struggles vs certain routes, as mentioned above.
  • Footwork needs some work, as his feet can sometimes get tangled up with each other. Some may question his ability to be an elite man-to-man corner due to these footwork issues paired with being a liability vs certain routes.
  • Can sometimes play with his hands too much downfield which leads to the occasional penalty.
  • Suffered a shoulder injury ending his senior season after only 7 games.

Pro-Player Comparison:

Byron Jones reminds me a lot of Brandon Browner. Although not quite as tall, Jones possesses very good size as well as a larger frame for a cornerback, much like Browner. Both corners use their good length to contest passes at the catch point extremely well. While Browner is a solid cornerback overall, his lack of quick feet can cause him to struggle at times, much like Jones does. They are also both somewhat prone to penalties provoked by excessive hand usage.

Where does Jones fit in with the other cornerbacks of this draft?

In a draft class that looks better now at the cornerback position than it did a few months ago, I have Byron Jones as my 3rd rated corner. Here are my top 5 cornerbacks:

1) Marcus Peters, CB, Washington

2) Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State

3) Byron Jones, CB, UConn

4) Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest

5) Jalen Collins, CB, LSU

For all the Trae Waynes fans outraged that he is not my highest rated cornerback, an explanation as to why Peters is on top as well as a Peters/Waynes comparison can be found here.

Does Jones fit in well with the Vikings defense?

Jones is a player who has recently been linked to the Vikings. While I urge anyone looking too deeply into these reports to take them with a grain of salt, the fit does make sense…. for the most part. Jones brings height and a certain level of physicality to the table, which is exactly what the Vikings need to be looking for opposite Xavier Rhodes after watching Josh Robinson get abused all year long by larger receivers. If Zimmer believes he can fix Jones’ footwork and mold him into a man corner that can consistently hold his own, then Jones makes a lot of sense for the Vikings. However, if Zimmer sees Jones and thinks strictly “Zone-Corner” than the fit isn’t all that great, as Zimmer’s defenses typically play a lot of man coverage. From a size/speed perspective, Jones makes all the sense in the world. However, all things considered, the final say will come down to whether or not Zimmer believes Jones’ flaws are coachable.


[NOTE ABOUT JACKSON MCINTIRE: Based in Los Angeles, California, Jackson is currently attending college with plans of obtaining a degree in Sports Management. He has some bad news for VT contributor Austin Belisle, who claims to be the west coast’s biggest Viking fan. Jackson plans to pursue a career in scouting at the NFL level and hopes his passion for the process shines through in his writing at The Viking Age and elsewhere. Be sure to follow Jackson on Twitter.]

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