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 . Jones fakes to the inside and gets open shortly after the sticks. He struggles to catch balls outside of his frame or when contested in traffic, and he even shows some discomfort finding the ball in clean scenarios from time to time. This is why Jones will stick on an NFL roster despite likely not having high draft capital. Reach Adam Sparks at adam.sparks@knoxnews.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks. 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. 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. 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. Returns, rushing and receiving has allowed Jones to rack up over 4,700 all-purpose yards. . Chargers Scouting Report: Tennessee WR Velus Jones Jr. Cole Topham. Maybe Jones will be great, but I dont get this pick. 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 . 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. Latest on Chicago Bears wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN . Wide receiver was Chicagos biggest weakness ahead of the NFL draft, where Darnell Mooney and Byron Pringle were the teams top wideouts. Velus Jones Jr. When you just run a route or bend it off at the stem, NFL DBs wont fall for it. ET on Thursday. All rights reserved. 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. Began his career at USC before transferring to Tennessee in 2020. Tennessee footballs Velus Jones Jr. was selected by theChicago Bears in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft with the 71st overall pick. Dangerous in the open field. Jones, a 6-foot, 200-pounder, spent three years at Southern Cal and two years at Tennessee. (67%*), 30 7/8 New Orleans has a history of going after Tennessee prospects. Josh Heupel made 10 promises when he became Tennessee football coach. 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. PFN Senior Draft Director Cam Mellor noted this while at the Senior Bowl earlier in the month. Did he keep them? Hes an unpolished route runner, but hes one of the best run-after-the-catch wideouts in this draft class. Did he keep them? But what is great about this play is how he was untouched when making his way up field. Plays fast and confident. 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. Larry Mayer. Still, he possesses elite speed and showed real playmaking ability for the Vols in 2021. Void in ONT. McShay's NFL draft All-Satellite team: The 2022 class' best playmakers in space . Throughout the game, once Jones beat several defenders deep, the defensive-backs tend to take a couple steps back pre-snap. Crazy timed speed. McShay has identified the best pick for all 32 teams, stressing that it's not . But it mightve been a reach on Chicagos part to select him with the seventh pick in the third round. He thrived in the no-huddle offense where he was primarily running routes out of the slot. GRADE: 6.4 (High . For fantasy, unless you play in leagues that reward return yards, it doesnt matter. Then his performance at the Senior Bowl in his hometown of Mobile helped too. Given the need, watch out for New Orleans to look at Jones later in the draft. NFL MOCK DRAFT. He finished last season as the FBS active leader with 2,973 kick return yards in his career and participated in the Senior Bowl. https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/lists/velus-jones-2022-nfl-draft/, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Jones could fit the mold. Jones is one of 324 prospects invited to the combine, which makes him potentially draftable. There are some prospects who can run a 4.31 forty-yard dash at the NFL combine but play a lot slower in-game. (29%*), 74 2/8 Next up is Tennessee wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. An impressive athlete with very quick acceleration to reach his top speed quickly and stretch the field. Jones patiently waited for his opportunity to showcase his talents, resulting in a scouting report full of potential. In the clip below, from spread trips, Jones is lined up in the outside-slot running a fade. The Jones pick garnered criticism from the draft community because of his age and draft projection. The Bears did recognize their need for more speedy playmaking at wideout to complement Darnell Mooney and give Justin Fields a field-stretcher, but this is a bit of a head-scratcher for a mid Day 3 prospect. In his four years at USC, Jones recorded just 347 yards. Velus Jones Jr.'s first NFL TD come via Herculean pylon reach. He offers little to sell his route to the DB. It took until his sixth collegiate season to earn a consistent starting role, but the lull was worth it. Reach Adam Sparks at adam.sparks@knoxnews.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks. 2, but New Orleans needs someone on the interior. All Rights Reserved. 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. Jones has excellent speed (ran 4.31), but this is a head-scratching pick by the Bears. The most likely projection for Jones is a starting returner and speed threat off the bench. Two of the three experts have him going to an NFC team in the fifth round. 209) - 1. After six seasons in college football, Jones was projected to be only a fourth or fifth round pick in this years NFL draft. Each of the three highlighted mock drafts projects Jones to be a Day 3 pick this weekend. Plays fast and explosive. Fits a zone system, can sift through oncoming traffic and explode through tiny creases and cutback lanes. It worked in college because DBs were playing off coverage against him due to the vertical threat his speed presents. Jones sprinted to a 4.31 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, and he backs that speed up on film. He led the SEC in kick return average (26.2 yards) and punt return average (15.1) and ranked third in all-purpose yards per game (132.5). 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. There are some prospects who rise their stock throughout the draft process; Velus Jones Jr is one of those guys. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. 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. 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. Now theyll have to figure out how hell be utilized as a weapon for quarterback Justin Fields. Jones generated 2.67 yards per route and a 131.0 passer rating on passes thrown his way. 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. Not a route-running specialist. Round 5 - Dallas Cowboys (No. Over the next month, we are going to be taking a look at a handful of draft prospects leading up to the 2022 NFL draft. Jones sprinted to a 4.31 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, and he backs that speed up on film. 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. We are now in the throws of Pro Day season. Velus Jones Jr. enters the NFL after six seasons in college football, spending 2016-2019 at USC and 2020-2021 at Tennessee. He showed progress in that area late in his college career, which is why his receiving production rose last season. What about the status of Alvin Kamara? Josh Reynolds, Kalif Raymond, and KhaDarel Hodge are all set to become free agents in March. Finally, some help for Justin Fields. . Pro Football Network, LLC. follow. 1. Finally, the Chicago Bears got some wide receiver help for quarterback Justin Fields. It will likely take a couple of years for Jones to iron out either of these issues. Now being mocked to go in the second or third round. This gave Jones more room at the line of scrimmage to start getting the ball earlier in his routes. He finished as the FBS active leader with 2,973 kick return yards in his career. Get instant advice on your decision to draft Marquez Callaway or Velus Jones Jr. in 2023. Velus Jones Jr. is one of the oldest prospects in the draft, and he didn't break out until his sixth season in college. Old prospect whos already 25. The Bears were looking for speed and they found it in Jones, who ran a 4.31-second 40-yard dash. YAC phenom in the Deebo Samuel mold. Marquez Callaway has shown signs of being a No. Off the line, as you would expect, he is lightning quick. With the right NFL team, Jones could turn out to be a diamond in the rough. Velus Jones Jr. started his college career in California, signing with the USC Trojans out of high school. Last year, as a receiver, he caught 62 passes for 807 yards and seven touchdowns. Jones versatility should get his foot in the NFL door. 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. Jones Jr. leaves college football after assembling his best season where his role in the offense led to the most opportunities for his . He earned his undergraduate degree from USC and completed his masters at Tennessee. March 10, 2022 10:00 am PT. After six seasons in college football, Jones was projected to be only a fourth or fifth round pick in this years' NFL draft. Plays too loose and allows cornerbacks to get the jump on him. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. So there are questions of whether he can improve much more. The inline receiver would block the CB, with Jones getting the quick pass for a gain. With the Chargers having needs at various positions, we will do our best to evaluate the players that we feel fit the team . Jones was clocked as the second-fastest offensive player at the Senior Bowl, according to Zebra Technology, which measures players speed in pads while playing rather than a 40-yard dash in shorts. Still, he possesses elite speed and showed real playmaking ability for the . The Chicago Bears select Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Velus Jones in Round 3 of the 2022 NFL Draft with the No. https://saintswire.usatoday.com/2022/02/22/2022-draft-prospects-velus-jones-jr-saints-tennessee-nfl/, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Current. Former Tennessee wide receiver and returner Velus Jones Jr. was ranked by Kiper Jr. as the fifth best returner in the 2022 NFL draft. Jones has played five seasons at two premier Power 5 programs, and hell turn 25 years old in May. Based on his scouting report, fantasy managers should keep their eye on these NFL franchises come draft day. Jones burst well after the catch but needs work to be trusted in an expanded capacity. Even on his TD against Alabama, despite the ball being on the 11-yard line, the corner was giving him an 8-yard cushion. If a player can improve a team in multiple ways, they are more of an asset and are more likely to stick around. The New Orleans Saints would be a great landing spot for Tennessee prospect Velus Jones Jr., a rising prospect in the 2022 NFL draft. Former Tennessee Volunteer Wide Receiver Velus Jones Jr. certainly appears to have made some money during last week's NFL Draft combine. As fantasy managers watch the NFL Draft, what does Velus Jones Jr.'s scouting report say, and which teams could be potential landing spots? 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. If his pre-draft process continues to go well, he could climb . Covers a lot of ground in the short half of the field and is slippery after the catch. But the team missed its opportunity to find a legit target earlier in the process. It takes little time for him to accelerate and stack a corner. The most likely projection for Jones is a starting returner and speed threat off the bench. Introducing a new series to the site that will take us right up to draft night. Velus Jones Jr.s speed and explosiveness are undeniable. Velus (pronounced VAY-lus) Jones Jr.'s path to the 2022 NFL Draft went through Alabama, Southern California, and Tennessee. Listed at 6-foot . Jones also showed an ability to control his body on the sidelines and get his feet in bounds, staying cognizant of where he is in relation to the sidelines. Those little nuances are how high-level receivers get separation. Jones played at University of Southern California for two years then transferred to the University of Tennessee in 2020. (4%*), 121 (C) 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. Can beat the press with elusiveness or physical contact. Zebra Technologies tracking found that he was consistently one of the fastest players in practices during the week, and hes put enough work into refining his routes to compete at the pro level. Thats one of the primary questions NFL teams ask themselves when scouting a player. All Combine and Draft-Related Analysis, News, Video, and Biographical Information for Velus Jones Velus Jones Jr. is one of the oldest prospects in the draft, and he didnt break out until his sixth season in college. The change came in the way he was utilized at Tennessee. Willing to go up and attack the ball. Given Mac Jones quick decision-making abilities and accuracy, when Velus Jones is able to gain separation on a quick slant, he knows there is a chance for substantial YAC due to his rapid pace. Showed real playmaking ability for the a fourth or fifth round and Hodge! Beat several defenders deep, the corner was giving him an 8-yard cushion but I dont get this.... 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