Prior to last season, Jones had never had more than 280 receiving yards in a season. He returned 23 kick for 628 yards, an average of 27.3 yards per return, and took one to the house. We are now in the throws of Pro Day season. Lets go to the film to see what he can add to an NFL roster. View fantasy football projections for Velus Jones Jr. (Chicago Bears). Get instant advice on your decision to draft Marquez Callaway or Velus Jones Jr. in 2023. 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. Doesnt quite play to that level. Sign up for the Touchdown Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning, Georgia coach Kirby Smart reacted to charges against star DL Jalen Carter. With Nelson Agholor as the field stretcher and NKeal Harry, well, a disappointment, Jones could work on the interior in the slot and possibly fill role Jakobi Meyers role if he leaves as a restricted free agent. Dati relativi al dispositivo e alla connessione a Internet, come l'indirizzo IP, Attivit di navigazione e di ricerca durante l'utilizzo dei siti web e delle app di Yahoo. It will likely take a couple of years for Jones to iron out either of these issues. That and his punt return work, also excellent, earned him a nod as the SEC Special Teams Player of the Year in 2021. Velus Jones Jr.s speed and explosiveness are undeniable. May 01, 2022 at 11:30 AM. There are some prospects who can run a 4.31 forty-yard dash at the NFL combine but play a lot slower in-game. We offer recommendations from over 100 fantasy football experts! March 10, 2022 10:00 am PT. It always goes down smooth. Jones speed, elusiveness and acceleration make him a good fit as a slot receiver. Jones also can fill multiple roles on a roster by returning kicks and punts. Jones, a 6-foot, 200-pounder, was a 2021 All-SEC selection as an all-purpose player and return specialist. Jones' speed and yards-after-catch potential are worth trying to develop at wide receiver, though that may be a longshot for someone set to be 25-years-old as a rookie. It all began at the Reeses Senior Bowl, then he backed it up at the NFL Combine. Jones spent over 80% of his time inside last season. One of their top ways to get Jones the ball was to stack him and another receiver on the far boundary. So there are questions of whether he can improve much more. ET on Thursday. 167) - 1 - Green Bay Packers (No. Jones Jr. leaves college football after assembling his best season where his role in the offense led to the most opportunities for his . Runs crisp routes with sharp cuts. Ethan Wolf and Bryce Thompson are also returning for 2022 from the Saints practice squad. Follow full coverage of Velus Jones Jr. during the 2022 NFL Draft on ESPN.com. Yahoo fa parte della famiglia di brand di Yahoo. It started with his measurements as Jones Jr. measured in . Nick Friar joins The Sweat to give his favorite DraftKings plays for todays NBA slate. Former Tennessee speedster Velus Jones Jr. revealed he was in Green Bay on Tuesday, April 5 when he shared a . The Patriots make too much sense as a landing spot for Jones. 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 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. Sometimes, that is because there are some speedsters who can only run fast when going in a straight line. Elite, darting stop-and-go acceleration with elite track speed. Velus Jones Jr. PFN Senior Draft Director Cam Mellor noted this while at the Senior Bowl earlier in the month. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. There is a path where he turns into the next Van Jefferson, as long as we see a marked improvement in his route running to get him to a similar level. As wide receiver alone, Jones may be a coin flip as an NFL player. GRADE: 6.4 (High-level Developmental Prospect - 5th Round). Good effort and technique as a blocker for his size. 23 KR, 628 YDS (27.3 AVG), 1 TD, 18 PR, 272 YDS (15.1 AVG). Now being mocked to go in the second or third round. See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Former Tennessee wide receiver and returner Velus Jones Jr. was ranked by Kiper Jr. as the fifth best returner in the 2022 NFL draft. Please check your email for a confirmation. Jones generated 2.67 yards per route and a 131.0 passer rating on passes thrown his way. (97%*), 4.51 (P) Special with the ball in his hands. Knowing what he brings as a returner should endear him to head coach Dan Campbell. Per maggiori informazioni sulle modalit di utilizzo dei dati, consulta la nostra Informativa sulla privacy e lInformativa sui cookie. The speed, hands, and body control are there, as is a willingness to play a bit nasty when blocking or giving a CB an extra pop at the whistle. The Jones pick garnered criticism from the draft community because of his age and draft projection. 2/3/22 - Tennessee wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. was asked about the connections he's built at the Senior Bowl, "All the quarterbacks, we go through all the plays together, we're building . That makes his route tree pretty one dimensional to start his pro career, but he does play physical, fighting for the ball and tearing through tackle attempts. His shocking 40 time (4.31) shot him up draft boards, but Jones remains unrefined and might need some touches schemed up, a la another former Tennessee star in Cordarrelle Patterson. TreQuan Smith is set to become an unrestricted free agent, while Deonte Harris is a restricted FA. Jones ranked 182nd on Bruglers big board. His 4.31-second 40-yard dash made him the second-fastest wide receiver at this years NFL combine. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Pro Football Network strives to passionately deliver purposeful, captivating, and exceptional football content. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. 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. Tracking where Velus Jones Jr. could be drafted in the 2022 NFL mock draft. Not only does early separation come in handy when stopping the clock during two-minute drills or on third-and-short situations; but Jones can use that space to gain yards after the catch from running slants and quick screens. Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA (select parishes)/MD/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OH/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. He ended the season with 1,722 all-purpose yards, which was third in the SEC conference. Weve already discussed how the New Orleans Saints hiring wide receivers coach Kodi Burns 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. A lot more. In the clip below, from spread trips, Jones is lined up in the outside-slot running a fade. Two of the three experts have him going to an NFC team in the fifth round. With his teammate to his left running a stick route, Jones is one-on-one with a ton of space to the outside. Those little nuances are how high-level receivers get separation. Jones showed in Senior Bowl workouts that he can adjust his body well and utilize his speed to beat defenders for catches. Does not flash much ability to catch outside of his frame or in traffic. In the film I was able to watch, I did not see a dropped pass. Even on his TD against Alabama, despite the ball being on the 11-yard line, the corner was giving him an 8-yard cushion. Schedule; Podcast . Jones speed and his ability to play through contact make himan intriguing option for a creative offensive play-caller. 71 overall. Packers GM Brian Gutekunst couldn't have made it more clear at the scouting combine: He wants Jordan Love to play more. Jones is extremely patient when running his routes and this clip is a great example. Not only is Jones a capable receiver, but he might be the best returner of the 2022 NFL Draft class. With the NFL Draft closing in, which teams make the most sense for Jones as projected landing spots? Began his career at USC before transferring to Tennessee in 2020. Please play responsibly. His experience fielding kickoffs (hes returned 122 of them in 59 college games) should also help his case. Dangerous in the open field. Does well to separate down the field. It takes little time for him to accelerate and stack a corner. He was clocked as the second-fastest offensive player at the Senior Bowl, according to Zebra Technology, which measures players speed in pads in live action. Jones, who will be 25 years old when the 2022 season begins, is lightning quick (4.31 40 at the combine) and will help in the return game. -Kiper, Chris Trapasso (CBS Sports): No. 209, Cincinnati Bengals. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (CO/IL/IN/LA/MD/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500(VA). The Bears have wide receivers Mooney, Chase Claypool, Equanimeous St. Brown and Velus Jones Jr. set to return, but they certainly would benefit from adding bigger names than their low-cost . Drink it in. For fantasy, unless you play in leagues that reward return yards, it doesnt matter. He was a 2019 All-Pac-12 performer as a return specialist and a 2021 All-SEC selection as an all-purpose player and return specialist. An impressive athlete with very quick acceleration to reach his top speed quickly and stretch the field. Jones is a flawed route-runner. Listed at 6-foot-even and exactly 200 pounds, Jones broke out in 2021 during Burns first year at Tennessee after transferring from USC a season earlier. The 6-foot, 200-pounder caught 120 passes for 1,434 yards and 11 touchdowns. Reach Adam Sparks at [email protected] and on Twitter @AdamSparks. Feb 28, 2023 . Jones projects as a WR3 behind Mooney and Pringle, where the belief is Jones has an intriguing skillset but is still raw. Scouting Report: Summary. He spent three years at Southern Cal and two years at Tennessee. This also helped to hide one of Jones issues, albeit a rather large one. Jones appeared in 61 games with 21 starts over six seasons at USC (2016-19) and Tennessee (2020-21). Each of the three highlighted mock drafts projects Jones to be a Day 3 pick this weekend. It worked in college because DBs were playing off coverage against him due to the vertical threat his speed presents. Josh Heupel made 10 promises when he became Tennessee football coach. He would be a good pick on the third day of the draft, especially if the Saints add a more-established weapon sooner. However, USC has been loaded with WR talent, making it difficult for Jones to break through. Now theyll have to figure out how hell be utilized as a weapon for quarterback Justin Fields. Velus Jones Jr. is one of the oldest prospects in the draft, and he didn't break out until his sixth season in college. Still, he possesses elite speed and showed real playmaking ability for the . Too bad they did so by investing in an older prospect, one whose primary function coming into the league will likely be as a returner. Head coach Matt Eberflus addresses the media on Tuesday during the 2023 NFL Combine in Indianapolis. Hes able to haul a back shoulder catch surrounded by three defenders. Jones will participate in drills at the combine during the NFL Network coverage of quarterbacks, tight ends and wide receivers from 4-11 p.m. 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. It all began at the Reese's Senior Bowl, then he backed it up at the NFL Combine. Plays fast and confident. For one, Jones does not possess a developed route tree. Adding Jones gives their offense a boost of speed while also making life easier on Goff, allowing Jones to generate yards after the catch on passes of a shorter average depth of target (aDOT). He only pulled in 22 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns his first year. Round 5 - Dallas Cowboys (No. Pro Football Network, LLC. Cliccando su Accetta tutto accetti che Yahoo e i suoi partner possano trattare i tuoi dati personali e utilizzare tecnologie come i cookie per mostrarti annunci e contenuti personalizzati, per la misurazione degli annunci e dei contenuti, per l'analisi del pubblico e per lo sviluppo dei prodotti. Furthermore, Jones' hands are a concern. The change came in the way he was utilized at Tennessee. Last year, as a receiver, he caught 62 passes for 807 yards and seven touchdowns. Jones is one of 324 prospects invited to the combine, which makes him potentially draftable. Throughout the game, once Jones beat several defenders deep, the defensive-backs tend to take a couple steps back pre-snap. Finally, the Chicago Bears got some wide receiver help for quarterback Justin Fields. As the saying goes, if hes even, hes leavin. This speed is how he creates separation both off the line and in the middle of the route. The only thing that fantasy managers care about is what Jones does on the offensive side of the ball. There are some prospects who rise their stock throughout the draft process; Velus Jones Jr is one of those guys. With Jones turning 25 years old at start of the 2022 NFL season, there are some concerns within the draft community on how much he could actually improve after getting to the next level. McShay's NFL draft All-Satellite team: The 2022 class' best playmakers in space . Jones has excellent speed (ran 4.31), but this is a head-scratching pick by the Bears. With the ball in his hands, Jones can weave smoothly in between traffic and shows off impressive contact balance for a receiver of average size. As fantasy managers watch the NFL Draft, what does Velus Jones Jr.'s scouting report say, and which teams could be potential landing spots? 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