Josh Jones | OT | Houston
Elevator Pitch
Jones is a bit of a work in progress, but the upside he brings to the table is palpable. He’s an athletic offensive tackle with great length, body control and lateral quickness in pass protection. He blocks with a high motor and has shown in flashes that he can physically overwhelm his opponents. If all goes well, he should be able to develop into a quality starter on the blindside.
Vitals
Height | 6-5
Weight | 319
Strengths
Jones’ skill set offers plenty of potential to become a high-end starter in the league.
A lengthy offensive line prospect, Jones has very good height for his position and has the wingspan to possess good range as a blocker. He’s also a polished athlete with noticeable traits on film. He accelerates very well moving to the second level, and his lateral quickness in his kick slide in pass protection allows him to neutralize speed rushers on the outside. Jones is a flexible athlete who can change direction seamlessly and sink his hips with effectiveness, and he is capable of blocking defenders in down blocking situations.
He has also shown some flashes of improving technique over his time in Houston. Jones does a pretty good job of sealing off defenders and knocking edge rushers off their arc. His hand placement can be effective at times, and when he gets leverage with his pads, he wins his battles pretty consistently. He is also a determined player who can block with a nasty edge to his game on occasion. Plus, his four years of experience starting at the collegiate level should be appealing to teams.
Weaknesses
Jones’ flaws are for the most part fixable with good coaching, but those flaws could prevent him from being an immediate standout in the NFL. His hand placement and pad level need to be more consistent. He is susceptible to letting defenders inside of his frame from time to time, and though he has flexible hips, the ability to consistently sink them into contact isn’t quite developed yet.
Though a high quality pass protector, Jones could also get a little bit better against the run. His anchor strength, while improving, could still get a little better, and the jabs he unleashes at the point of attack aren’t always that powerful.
Projection: 1st Round
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