Justin Jones could make a huge impact, maybe

Justin Jones makes a touchdown grab in the back of the end zone (David Silverman)
Justin Jones is what some would call a very large man. At 6'8" 275 lbs, he dwarfs most human beings outside of the NBA. Ben Volin of The Boston Globe goes as far as to say not only will he make the 53 man roster, but will have a larger impact than any other Patriots rookie. While I disagree that he will make a bigger impact than RB James White, he very well could carve out a role on offense and special teams.

The biggest thing going for Jones is his tangibles. He is a giant of a football player, being taller than Rob Gronkowski and heavier than Chandler Jones. At a super regional combine, Jones bench pressed 400 pounds, ran a 40 yard dash of 4.90 seconds, landed a 37" vertical leap, and bounded a broad jump of 9'5", according to Volin. All of which are impressive for a man of that size. While he doesn't have the speed of Gronk, he does know how to use his body to gain position of defenders due to a high school basketball career.

Zuri Berry of Boston.com notes that Jones has made camp more interesting due to the back up tight end position battle that has arisen between Jones and DJ Williams. Berry notes Jones' size and agility being areas of strength. While he may not have the straight line speed to break away, his quick feet should allow him to open himself up for passes in the short passing game.

While he has had an up and down camp so far, he does seem to be quite raw at the position. With these struggles, he has taken the tutelage of Gronkowski, who is helping him understand the intricacies of being a big bodied tight end in the NFL. Doug Kyed of NESN.com notes that Jones has made some impressive catches, but has had trouble separating from defenders. Then again, he may not need to use separation in the role he may be placed in.

With his lack of speed, yet imposing size, Jones could very well be asked to do short routes that won't require him to separate from defenders using pure speed. Goal line situations ultimately may be his calling, or to be a part of a jumbo set of multiple tight ends. On special teams, he could be asked to be one of the off the line blockers on PAT and field goals, which Gronk had previously done. There are roles in the offense that will utilize his strengths, and minimize his flaws.

Several positive observations on Jones' camp so far:





And some not so positive notes:







As you can see, he has struggled a tad. He has already beat out Nate Byham, and will need to outlast the likes of DJ Williams and Asa Watson to get a roster spot. He will need to limit his drops, and improve drastically at blocking, if Belichick is going to have the confidence to keep him around and use him in the offensive game plan. Most others don't have the same confidence in Jones that Volin does, with all excluding him on their 53 man roster projections, but he has as good a chance as any undrafted rookie. Once we get the chance to see him play live against an opposing team I will reserve my judgement. I am rooting for him though.

Follow me on Twitter - @PatriotsInform

For more of my articles, click here.

Post a Comment
Share