NFL Draft Outlook: Is Jarron Jones Headed to the Ravens?
Jarron Jones may have fallen in NFL draft stock during his senior season, but he’s still going to make an NFL team very lucky.
Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller has Jones heading to the Baltimore Ravens with the 102nd pick in the third-round. With the amount of talented defensive linemen in the 2017 NFL Draft, it isn’t unlikely that he slides to the third round.
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Jones is the perfect fit for any defensive line position. At 6’5, 315 lbs, he has all the size a tackle or end needs to battle off linemen. But his size is just the beginning to his attributes. His athleticism and foot quickness gives him the explosiveness off the ball. With a dominating first push, Jones has the strength to drive lineman back. His length allows him to stay with a blocker while reaching out and grabbing ball carriers.
Plenty of teams would love for Jones to fall into their lap. His size, strength, and athleticism make him a hot commodity for a lot of teams in search of a strong presence in the middle. To the average player, these traits alone would make you worthy of a first or second round draft pick.
What many believe is holding Jones back is his character. NFL.com reported that an NFC director of scouting’s remarks towards Jones were, “He’s a character flag for us. He’s talented, but I just don’t think he loves the game enough for me to back him in our room. Who doesn’t love those long arms? We all do, but I think he’s lazy and will head south as soon as he has more time and money on his hands.”
Whether all this is true or not is up for debate. It obviously takes some hard work to be considered an early round NFL draft pick. But with this reputation, Jones could be the victim of a draft slide. If it happens, the third round and the Baltimore Ravens may be where he lands.
Looking at the Ravens’ roster, they aren’t in desperate need of a player like Jones. Brandon Williams is only in his fourth season and has had two productive seasons while starting in Baltimore. Not that he’s secured his spot as the Ravens’ nose tackle, but he has done enough to assure they won’t intentionally target one in the draft.
On the end, Timmy Jernigan isn’t losing his job. He’s a second round pick who’s only three years into his career. On top of that, he’s coming off of a five sack year and was clearly the strong part of this defensive line.
At the other end, Jones may have a shot. Lawrence Guy had a less than average year in 2016. With only one sack and 28 combined tackles, he did nothing to secure a spot on in this lineup. If the Ravens want to test new waters without a make or break pick, Jones may be their guy.
He won’t move up. If anything, he’ll find himself sliding, which is why Baltimore may take advantage. If he’s around at the end of the third round and the Ravens have him on their radar, they’ll make a move.
Jones would love to work his way onto a team where he can make an impact. Experts say he could go to one of the best defenses in the NFL as early as the third round. If so, it’ll be up to the big man to decide how he wants his NFL career to go.