Given the need, watch out for New Orleans to look at Jones later in the draft. Jones has real potential, but hed be best served competing with Deonte Harty and Marquez Callaway in the rotation behind Michael Thomas and a new starter. Please check your email for a confirmation. Marquez Callaway has shown signs of being a No. DCS chief: Tenn. has stopped housing kids in offices in all but one county, How Velus Jones' 40 time at NFL Combine may help Tennessee football WR's draft stock, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Tennessee wide receiver/return specialist Velus Jones Jr. is working out at the NFL Scouting Combine this week in hopes of convincing a team to draft him.. Jones, a 6-foot, 200-pounder, was a 2021 . Jones Jr. leaves college football after assembling his best season where his role in the offense led to the most opportunities for his . As a returner he is elite and will likely make an impact early, however, he is somewhat limited as a wide receiver where he is very raw and only really offers anything as a deep threat and as a speed threat in the screen game. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. This is why Jones will stick on an NFL roster despite likely not having high draft capital. The Bears were looking for speed and they found it in Jones, who ran a 4.31-second 40-yard dash. Feb 28, 2023 . It takes little time for him to accelerate and stack a corner. Crazy timed speed. With the Chargers having needs at various positions, we will do our best to evaluate the players that we feel fit the team . It all began at the Reeses Senior Bowl, then he backed it up at the NFL Combine. Does not always use his hands to secure deep throws, allowing the ball into his pads and chest. Jones turns 25 in a few weeks, which turned off some teams. 171) - 1 Round 6 - Cincinnati Bengals (No. The draft begins April 28. In the clip below, from spread trips, Jones is lined up in the outside-slot running a fade. They also addressed a need on special teams by nabbing arguably the best returner in college football, who averaged 132.5 all purpose-yards per game in 2021. Velus Jones Jr. is more of a return specialist than a wide receiver right now, but speed like his will always be a premium in the NFL. He showed progress in that area late in his college career, which is why his receiving production rose last season. Void in ONT. 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). For a team with limited resources, why spend a Day 2 pick on a soon-to-be 25-year-old rookie slot receiver with one year of production? Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Whether its running by defenders to get deep, or its getting YAC from the shorter routes, Jones will find a way to use his speed in the open field. But hes a compact, physical receiver who was used as a jack of all trades for the Vols. Schedule; Podcast . But its also why he has value as a returner. Velus Jones Jr . Good contact balance with the ball in his hands. Big 12 Tourney offering enhanced experience to fans with school-specific treats, The conference tourney has put together a weeklong experience that includes a tailored menu with some interesting item, 2023 Fantasy Golf Picks Arnold Palmer Invitational Picks, Predictions, Preview, Sleepers. Scouting Report: Summary. Furthermore, Jones' hands are a concern. Former Tennessee speedster Velus Jones Jr. revealed he was in Green Bay on Tuesday, April 5 when he shared a . However, USC has been loaded with WR talent, making it difficult for Jones to break through. Tennessee football 's Velus Jones Jr. was selected by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft with the 71st overall pick. The Bears shouldnt have passed on George Pickens twice, and Jones wont give this offense the size it needs at wide receiver. 30 Days and 30 Players the Colts are/could be interested in. Jones would fit right in for the Patriots on offense and special teams. And while we did get back to a normal NFL Scouting Combine a few weeks ago, a fair amount of top prospects decided to forego working out in Indianapolis, instead choosing to hit the field at their respective school's pro day.. As the reports begin to surface, CBSSports.com will be tracking all of the results . He returned 23 kick for 628 yards, an average of 27.3 yards per return, and took one to the house. Jones sprinted to a 4.31 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, and he backs that speed up on film. While unpolished, Jones was also unguardable at the Senior Bowl. What will the New Orleans Saints look like in 2022? Jones was under-the-radar until last season, which makes him more intriguing as an NFL prospect, thought it probably means a late pick on day two or even day three. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.31 seconds, the second-fastest among wide receivers and fourth-fastest among all participants at the NFL Scouting Combine. 0:43. If Jones can get on an NFL team who already has a dominant X receiver, he can be a very productive complementary piece from the slot and on special teams. Matt Eberflus on ideal prospects: 'They have to have a love for the game' | Press Conference. Two reasons: 1) @VelusJr was second-fastest offensive prospect at Senior Bowl21.75 mph @ZebraTechnology2) routes like this pic.twitter.com/JE4BtS6Pkx, Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) February 20, 2022. He ended the season with 1,722 all-purpose yards, which was third in the SEC conference. This is why Jones will stick on an NFL roster despite likely not having high draft capital. OVERALL. And if there were any questions that he only has track speed, Jones was just as fast in game situations. Mock Draft Database Sites; NFL NBA NHL MLB. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Bill Belichick loves guys who can contribute in a multitude of ways, which should place Jones on his radar. 1 wideout like Michael Thomas. Also, Tennessee brought him into the slot, which is where he projects in the NFL. Lets go to the film to see what he can add to an NFL roster. His route tree was largely limited to go balls, screens and slants. *Percentile calculated on how any given stat would rank at the NFL combine Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Kyle Lowry headline NBA injury report for Wednesday, March 1, Picks, predictions for Penn State vs. Northwestern on Wednesday, March 1, Picks, predictions for No. In this clip below, Jones is going against an off-coverage defender with a safety over his left shoulder. But add his return skills to the equation, and his value rises. Please play responsibly. We can make the argument that if he just landed in that scheme to begin with, he could have flourished; but hes only just now getting started. may help give them an inside track on some prospects in the 2022 NFL draft, but one player to note in particular is Tennessee Volunteers wideout Velus Jones Jr. Odds and lines subject to change. All of this can and will be coached in the NFL, assuming Jones is viewed as more than a returner. Please check your email for a confirmation. Yahoo fa parte della famiglia di brand di Yahoo. He would be a good pick on the third day of the draft, especially if the Saints add a more-established weapon sooner. As a receiver-returner with explosive speed, quickness and burst, Jones should make his mark as a WR3/WR4 and return specialist early in his career. With the NFL Draft closing in, which teams make the most sense for Jones as projected landing spots? 90, Tennessee Titans, Tennessee doesnt have its second-round pick because of last years Julio Jones trade, so it could use this pick to add a playmaker for Ryan Tannehill. We offer weekly, rest of season, and full season projections. Larry Mayer. The best hope for Jones is to establish himself as a blue chip special teams player with the speed and physicality to be a solid role player in the passing game. See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. His experience fielding kickoffs (hes returned 122 of them in 59 college games) should also help his case. In the passing game, teams will be drawn to his acceleration and ability to get down the field fast. (97%*), 4.51 (P) Not a route-running specialist. Very rarely would you see him get width with his outside leg to sell a different angle and use a head/shoulder fake to get the DB to change their hips. The most likely projection for Jones is a starting returner and speed threat off the bench. 2, but New Orleans needs someone on the interior. An amazing kick-punt returner who could be drafted as a special teamer. Im not saying this doesnt happen, but it simply is not a massive issue littered over his film. As wide receiver alone, Jones may be a coin flip as an NFL player. Has rare suddenness with lightning footwork to create in tight areas with elusive shiftiness and change-of-direction skills. In the latter rounds of fantasy, where we are betting on profiles and talent, Jones makes sense as a player who will make the 53-man roster. We break down Tennessee Velus Jones Jr. with a scouting report and fantasy football outlook heading into the 2022 NFL Draft. Jones may not be ready to play offense out of the gate, but he can be a team's starting kick and punt returner instantly. 255, Los Angeles Chargers, Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News): No. He finished as the FBS active leader with 2,973 kick return yards in his career. Copyright 2019-2023. In his six years yes, six years Jones recorded almost 3,000 kick return yards while attending both USC (2016-2019) and Tennessee (2020-2021). Velus Jones Jr. leads team in receiving yards in Week 16 Velus Jones Jr. hauled in two of four targets for 52 receiving yards in the Bears' 35-13 Week 16 loss to the Bills. The change came in the way he was utilized at Tennessee. Velus Jones Jr. Jones appeared in 61 games with 21 starts over six seasons at USC (2016-19) and Tennessee (2020-21). Jones has been a steady riser in draft circles due to his performance at the Senior Bowl, and this should continue assuming he tests well at the NFL Combine assuming we have an NFL Combine to scout. Velus Jones Jr. enters the NFL after six seasons in college football, spending 2016-2019 at USC and 2020-2021 at Tennessee. Still, he possesses elite speed and showed real playmaking ability for the . Knowing what he brings as a returner should endear him to head coach Dan Campbell. Finally, some help for Justin Fields. Take a shot on the speed of Jones in fantasy drafts and hope a team is patient enough to work through the growing pains at receiver. In all likelihood, in most standard leagues, Jones wont be on the fantasy radar this season. https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/lists/velus-jones-2022-nfl-draft/, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Josh Reynolds, Kalif Raymond, and KhaDarel Hodge are all set to become free agents in March. Eligibility restrictions apply. George Pickens twice, and took one to the film to see what he can add to NFL! That speed up on film are all set to become free agents in March and KhaDarel are... 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