OT, Georgia
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 310 lbs
Class: rs-Sophomore
Jones was a highly touted recruit coming out of Lithonia High School in Georgia, earning a five-star rating as the No. 11 overall prospect in the 2020 class. He committed to his home state Bulldogs as a high school sophomore, choosing them over the likes of Alabama and Auburn.
Jones redshirted his freshman year after playing just 25 snaps at right tackle. He saw more playing time in 2021 and made four starts in place of the injured Jamaree Salyer, earning SEC All-Freshman honours in the process. Jones became the Bulldogs’ full-time starter at left tackle in 2022 and was named a First Team All-SEC member.
You can read more of my 2023 NFL Draft content here.
Strengths
The first and most obvious strength to Jones’ game is his impressive athletic profile. He is a natural athlete with easy movement ability that will translate well to the NFL level. He showcases an impressive first step, which helps him as both a run blocker and as a pass protector. Jones also has the quick and nimble footwork required to survive on an island in pass protection, with no issues handling quicker edges from wider alignments. His fluidity and speed are also on full display when asked to work out in space as a lead blocker.
Jones combines these movement skills with the power profile that you want in an offensive tackle. He possesses noticeably powerful hands that are capable of shocking opponents on contact. Whilst he is still refining his hand usage, his ability to stonewall opponents when he gets things right is hugely promising. Jones also displays the core strength to anchor in pass protection and the aggressiveness to finish his blocks in the running game.
Jones’ ability to be a dependable presence in pass protection is another huge strength to his game. 2022 was his first season as a starter for the Bulldogs and he allowed just nine pressures on 470 pass blocking snaps. He didn’t allow a single sack all season. What puts Jones above most tackles is that he can truly do it all in pass protection. He has the explosiveness and agility to beat defenders to the edge and cut off inside counters, but he also has the anchor strength to sink against power rushers.
Jones also offers plenty as a run blocker. His athletic ability makes him a natural fit for a zone-heavy scheme. He has the lateral agility to successfully execute reach blocks and looks like a natural climbing to the second level. He is also an effective weapon on gap scheme concepts. Jones’ combination of burst and power makes him ideally suited to playing as a puller on concepts like Counter. Teams will no doubt appreciate this kind of scheme versatility.
Weaknesses
Jones’ biggest weakness is his underwhelming technique. This isn’t surprising for a player who has just one year as a starter in college, but nevertheless it will need to improve substantially. Jones’ hand usage is a work in progress, with both his timing and placement plagued by inconsistency. He is also a little too reliant on two hand punches and would benefit from developing some independent usage.
This inconsistent technique also leads to some noticeable balance issues. Jones’ two hand punches are brutal when they work, but too often they don’t and he is left off balance and over his toes. Smarter defenders were able to exploit this and get Jones on the floor. He can also get sloppy with his pad level, allowing defenders to out-leverage him and get him off balance.
Bottom Line
Jones is an outstanding athlete who has shown that he can be a difference maker as a pass protector and as a run blocker. He has some way to go from a technical standpoint, but possesses all of the traits needed to become a quality starter at the next level.
Ideal role: Tackle in a zone-heavy scheme
Round projection: 1st round
