A very old player who will be 25 by the time he takes the field in the NFL, Has a very limited route tree and the routes he did run were often rounded, Has had very limited production as a receiver throughout his college career - with the exception of 2021, Has only really played in the slot and has very little experience out wide, Not a great catch radius and his football IQ is not as high as you would like, Runs with a weird kind of stutter-step that makes his less fluid, Only offers an impact as a gadget player and a deep threat. Velus Jones Jr. The change came in the way he was utilized at Tennessee. 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. Check out his YAC from the 2021 season: Best Draft WRs after the catch pic.twitter.com/A46NWLmVR3, No Flags Film (@NoFlagsFilm) March 30, 2022. 9 3/4
https://bearswire.usatoday.com/lists/bears-velus-jones-jr-nfl-draft-2022-expert-grades/, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Has rare suddenness with lightning footwork to create in tight areas with elusive shiftiness and change-of-direction skills. Ethan Wolf and Bryce Thompson are also returning for 2022 from the Saints practice squad. With his teammate to his left running a stick route, Jones is one-on-one with a ton of space to the outside. We are now in the throws of Pro Day season. Yahoo fa parte della famiglia di brand di Yahoo. The Packers could be looking to acquire a new kick returner in the 2022 NFL draft. Jones patiently waited for his opportunity to showcase his talents, resulting in a scouting report full of potential. And by not taking a receiver in Round 2, or an offensive lineman before Round 5, the Bears . Reach Adam Sparks at adam.sparks@knoxnews.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks. Maybe Jones joins them. Even on his TD against Alabama, despite the ball being on the 11-yard line, the corner was giving him an 8-yard cushion. Jones is extremely patient when running his routes and this clip is a great example. In his four years at USC, Jones recorded just 347 yards. How Jones projects as a wide receiver in the NFL is a bit of an unknown considering his modest offensive production throughout a college career that began in 2016 at USC and culminated in him catching 62 passes for 807 yards and seven touchdowns at Tennessee. Chicago isnt concerned about Jones being a 25-year-old rookie and is fond of his run-after-the-catch ability. Mock Draft Database Sites; NFL NBA NHL MLB. 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. His speed brings an element most teams are not ready for defensively. Also, Tennessee brought him into the slot, which is where he projects in the NFL. Jones is one of 324 prospects invited to the combine, which makes him potentially draftable. Pro Football Network, LLC. Despite the lesser QB play from Kedon Slovis to Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton, Tennessee manufactured touches for Jones. As fantasy managers watch the NFL Draft, what does Velus Jones Jr.'s scouting report say, and which teams could be potential landing spots? historically in the player's position group (Higher value represents better perfomance). (97%*), 4.51 (P)
Velus (pronounced VAY-lus) Jones Jr.'s path to the 2022 NFL Draft went through Alabama, Southern California, and Tennessee. In the passing game, teams will be drawn to his acceleration and ability to get down the field fast. Has decent hands any NFL wide receiver coach and quarterback would covet. NFL MOCK DRAFT. 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. The NFL . This gave Jones more room at the line of scrimmage to start getting the ball earlier in his routes. 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. Does not flash much ability to catch outside of his frame or in traffic. Marquez Callaway has shown signs of being a No. Former Tennessee speedster Velus Jones Jr. revealed he was in Green Bay on Tuesday, April 5 when he shared a . As I said, its a bit of a mess in the Big Easy. What about the status of Alvin Kamara? But it mightve been a reach on Chicagos part to select him with the seventh pick in the third round. 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. Most of the time, he was out there for the quick pass pseudo screen. Needs to tighten up route running. Larry Mayer. WR Velus Jones Jr.: Scouting Report. Top gear can separate from anyone. One thing that cannot be ignored is his breakout season once he got into the right system. Fantasy Impact 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 . After using their first two draft picks on defense, the Chicago Bears finally got quarterback Justin Fields a weapon in Tennessee wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. with the 71st overall pick. Velus Jones Jr. saved the best of his college football career for last, and his excellent 2021 season now has the Tennessee wide receiver and return specialist in position to hear his name called . Bears Senior Writer. Jones has very good lateral quickness that he was able to show throughout his college career. 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 sprinted to a 4.31 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, and he backs that speed up on film. . And then Jones parlayed that production into a big week at the Senior Bowl, impressing NFL scouts and coaches in attendance. If given a lane, hes going to burn you. 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. The Lions still need quite a bit of help at receiver. 2 receiver in the Vols offense, ranking second on the team in receptions (62), receiving yards (807), and touchdown catches (7) while playing in all 13 games. General manager Ryan Poles opted to take a chance on Jones, who has blazing speed and has the potential to be dangerous in Luke Getsys offense. But his route-running, though improved in the past year, is still seen as a weakness. Now theyll have to figure out how hell be utilized as a weapon for quarterback Justin Fields. 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). Jones (6 feet, 204) had 62 catches for 807 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He ended the season with 1,722 all-purpose yards, which was third in the SEC conference. It worked in college because DBs were playing off coverage against him due to the vertical threat his speed presents. The Bears were looking for speed and they found it in Jones, who ran a 4.31-second 40-yard dash. 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). 22 TCU on Wednesday, March 1, Picks, predictions for Oklahoma vs. No. Uncomfortable seeing the ball in at times. Velus Jones Jr. enters the NFL after six seasons in college football, spending 2016-2019 at USC and 2020-2021 at Tennessee. With the Chargers having needs at various positions, we will do our best to evaluate the players that we feel fit the team . We offer recommendations from over 100 fantasy football experts! His experience fielding kickoffs (hes returned 122 of them in 59 college games) should also help his case. Sure, his speed is great. Velus Jones Jr. WR; Senior; 5-11, 204 lbs; Tennessee; Scouts Grade; Position Rank; Overall Rank; Arm Length 30-5/8" Hand Size 9-1/4" 40-YD Dash 4.31; Conference TBD; 2022 Draft Pick Info . But its also why he has value as a returner. The Patriots make too much sense as a landing spot for Jones. There are some prospects who can run a 4.31 forty-yard dash at the NFL combine but play a lot slower in-game. 2, but New Orleans needs someone on the interior. Plays like this are why Jones averaged 12.8 yards per reception at Tennessee, with 8.1 coming after the catch on average. Kevin Langley/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. 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). Josh Reynolds, Kalif Raymond, and KhaDarel Hodge are all set to become free agents in March. 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. Jones will watch the 87th NFL Draft at a beach house in Gulf Shores. His route tree was largely limited to go balls, screens and slants. NFL scouts have been in draft meetings past couple weeks and hearing @Vol_Football WR Velus Jones Jr. is getting pushed up many boards. Not until the defender opens his hips and commits to the inside, does Jones make his break. We break down Tennessee Velus Jones Jr. with a scouting report and fantasy football outlook heading into the 2022 NFL Draft. All Rights Reserved. Introducing a new series to the site that will take us right up to draft night. 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. He finished as the FBS active leader with 2,973 kick return yards in his career. Former Tennessee wide receiver and returner Velus Jones Jr. was ranked by Kiper Jr. as the fifth best returner in the 2022 NFL draft. He earned his undergraduate degree from USC and completed his masters at Tennessee. Velus Jones Jr.s fantasy football scouting report, Jones has traits that make him a valuable receiver, Tennessee got Jones the ball in space, not due to his route running, Jones path to fantasy relevancy is shaky. The Bears passed up on a handful of more proven receivers, including Jalen Tolbert, Calvin Austin III and David Bell. 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? Drink it in. When you just run a route or bend it off at the stem, NFL DBs wont fall for it. 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. 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. Furthermore, Jones' hands are a concern. The most likely projection for Jones is a starting returner and speed threat off the bench. Jones sprinted to a 4.31 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, and he backs that speed up on film. In the rare instances he was asked to run other routes, Jones lacked the technique or sharp movement skills to get in and out of breaks comfortably. An impressive athlete with very quick acceleration to reach his top speed quickly and stretch the field. That said, hes an explosive pass-catcher with elite speed who should help Darnell Mooney challenge opposing defenses. Please check your email for a confirmation. Who will be under center? Thats one of the primary questions NFL teams ask themselves when scouting a player. Dangerous in the open field. 71 overall . Fits a zone system, can sift through oncoming traffic and explode through tiny creases and cutback lanes. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. Follow full coverage of Velus Jones Jr. during the 2022 NFL Draft on ESPN.com. Finally, some help for Justin Fields. Elite, darting stop-and-go acceleration with elite track speed. 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. 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. Oh, and how do they handle being a projected $76.16 million over the salary cap? Wide receiver was Chicagos biggest weakness ahead of the NFL draft, where Darnell Mooney and Byron Pringle were the teams top wideouts. But Jones played five seasons in two premier Power 5 programs, and hell turn 25 in May. There are some prospects who rise their stock throughout the draft process; Velus Jones Jr is one of those guys. Velus Jones is an overaged prospect who offers help to a team as both a WR and kick returner. This is also where things get a bit trickier from an evaluation standpoint. He brings an element of speed you cant teach and instantly makes your roster better. 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