For a team that hasn’t put much value in the linebacker position over the last four or five years, the Los Angeles Rams spent one of their top draft picks on Ernest Jones in April. He was selected in the third round at No. 103 overall, joining a Rams defense that desperately needed help at inside linebacker.
Though he got off to a slow start with only 19 snaps played in his first five games and 45 total through Week 7, he’s taken on a bigger role as a starter in four of the last five games after the team traded Kenny Young to the Broncos.
He shined in Week 13 against the Jaguars, playing all but three snaps and leading the Rams with nine tackles. He also broke up a pass and split a sack with Leonard Floyd, with his performance as a whole catching the eye of Sean McVay.
The coach loves what he’s seen from Jones, saying on the “Coach McVay Show” that he thinks the rookie will be “a cornerstone” for the Rams at linebacker.
“He’s a stud. … Ernest is a special player. He’s a quick study. He learns from his mistakes so quickly,” McVay said. “I thought you felt his range and his length yesterday. He had some great ability to diagnose some things early on in the downs where he’s playing sideline to sideline. I thought he really did a great job using his hands in the run fits and then he ends up with a sack.
“He’s an impressive young player that’s only going to get better. I think he’s going to be a cornerstone for our team.”
Jones took over for Troy Reeder as the three-down linebacker for the Rams on Sunday, rarely coming off the field. That should continue the rest of the season because he’s been the better player than Reeder, and the Rams don’t have any other viable replacements on the roster.
Jones is still in the very early stages of his career and he’ll probably always be limited in coverage due to his lack of range and speed, but he’s steadily improved as the season has gone on – a positive sign for his development.
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