Tag: Jarrian Jones

Why the Jaguars’ front office was so high on rookie CB Jarrian Jones

Why the Jaguars’ front office was so high on rookie CB Jarrian Jones

Jarrian Jones of Florida State was selected by the Jaguars in Round 3, pick No. 96 of last month’s 2024 NFL Draft and could go down as a steal of the draft for Jacksonville.

Jones appeared in 55 games and started 29 from 2019-2023, recording 96 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, 17 pass breakups, and five interceptions over four seasons with FSU and one year with Mississippi State.

As Jones looks to make an impact in the pros, Jaguars assistant general manager Ethan Waugh talked about his positional versatility and why he will be a good fit for Jacksonville for many years to come.

“I think it’s extremely important. I think if you look at the numbers of corners and nickels drafted in recent years, it’s on the rise,” Waugh suggested on Friday. 

“Really, everything that we do, we kind of have to see how it affects the run game, but really more so how it affects the passing game, because that’s how you score points in this league, how you win in league is by throwing the football or defending the pass. So, a guy who can go inside out gives us more flexibility, as offenses move their slots and big guys around, having that flexibility is key.” 

Waugh also pointed toward Jones’ positive, energetic attitude since his pre-draft meetings with the Jaguars and joining the team as reasoning for his selection.

“Energy. Personality. I think you’ll see that when you guys get a chance to talk with him, if you haven’t yet. But he’s infectious,” Waugh described Jones. 

“He enjoyed being here, he enjoyed talking football, he enjoyed learning football, he enjoyed spending time with the coaches. I think when our coaches spent time with him, asking a player to play inside and outside is more mentally tasking than playing one spot. I think they felt really good about him in that role, so he really impressed us while he was here.” 

Jones is primarily projected to play nickel cornerback in Jacksonville’s defensive scheme, with veterans, Tyson Campbell and Ronald Darby, set to start at outside cornerback in 2024. Jones will compete with free agent safety signee, Darnell Savage, at the spot.

CB Jarrian Jones signs Jaguars’ rookie contract

CB Jarrian Jones signs Jaguars’ rookie contract

Jacksonville’s third-round pick from the 2024 NFL draft is under contract as cornerback Jarrian Jones signed his rookie deal with the Jaguars on Saturday, the team announced.

Jones is the fifth member of Jacksonville’s 2024 draft class to sign with the club, following fifth-rounders, cornerback Deantre Prince and running back/return specialist Keilan Robinson, sixth-round kicker Cam Little and seventh-round edge rusher Myles Cole.

Over five college seasons, one with Mississippi State before four with Florida State, Jones accumulated 96 tackles including 5.5 for loss, one sack, five interceptions including one pick-six, 12 pass breakups and one forced fumble. He participated in the East-West Shrine Bowl and NFL combine before the draft.

Although Jones spent most of his college career at outside cornerback (1,263 snaps), he transitioned to nickel corner in 2023 (394 snaps inside compared to 27 outside). He produced more turnovers than in any other season in his career at the new spot, five, leading to his projection as a slot corner with the Jaguars.

“Jarrian’s a guy we’ve been following for a long time at Florida State,” Shrine Bowl director of football operations Eric Galko told Jaguars Wire. “Super talented as he, you know, showed the athleticism at the NFL combine.

“But he took such a major step this year when they asked him to move inside at slot. And he was, whether you use metrics or just watching film, like, I think he was arguably the best nickel cornerback in college football this past year, probably the best in college football.”

Shrine Bowl’s Eric Galko talks Jaguars’ Jarrian Jones, Deantre Prince

CBs Jarrian Jones and Deantre Prince will reunite with the Jaguars after teaming up in the Shrine Bowl. How will they fit together?

The Jaguars took a two-pronged approach to addressing their need for cornerback help in the 2024 NFL draft, selecting Jarrian Jones from Florida State in the third round and Deantre Prince from Ole Miss in the fifth round to shore up the position.

Jones and Prince proved to be playmakers in the secondary throughout their college careers, and premier athletes at the NFL combine in March, with both players clocking 4.38-second 40-yard dash results at the latter event.

In between, the duo impressed NFL scouts and onlookers at the Shrine Bowl earlier this year, aligning together on the East Team. They were two of the game’s record-breaking 57 prospects selected in the draft this year.

“I think what both Jarrian and Prince probably share as players is confidence in terms of their coverage ability, but also knowing how to use their athletic ability,” Shrine Bowl director of football operations and player personnel, Eric Galko, described Jacksonville’s newest cornerbacks in an interview with Jaguars Wire.

“Some guys are athletic and don’t know how to use it, and they’re just guessing and trying to use their athleticism and kind of recover a lot, not necessarily maximizing it. I think both these guys know where they can get to on the field in coverage.”

While each corner produced just one tackle in the all-star game, both stood out in practices leading up to the exhibition. NFL.com described Jones’ performances in the nickel as “plastering” opposing receivers; multiple independent outlets highlighted Prince’s showings in one-on-one drills.

Galko went further, analyzing how the members of the defensive back tandem pair together in the secondary as they prepare to team up again in Jacksonville.

Both are generally sound in their coverage assignments, per Galko. In the event a route-runner beats them, both can recover to make a play on the ball given their speed and agility.

“They can kind of bait a little bit when they’re out of position — I think both Prince and Jarrian Jones are rarely out of position, and if they are or they want to bait a little bit, they’ve got that athletic ability to clean up a little bit, too. So, I think those guys complement each other well.”

Jones, a four-year contributor at Florida State after spending his freshman campaign at Mississippi State, is likely to remain in the slot with Jacksonville after shining at the position with the Seminoles as a super senior in 2023.

Following four years mostly as an outside corner, the nearly-six-foot, 190-pound Jones produced single-season career-highs with 25 tackles including five for loss and three interceptions in the nickel last season.

“Jarrian’s a guy we’ve been following for a long time at Florida State,” Galko revealed. “Super talented as he, you know, showed the athleticism at the NFL combine.

“But he took such a major step this year when they asked him to move inside at slot. And he was, whether you use metrics or just watching film, like, I think he was arguably the best nickel cornerback in college football this past year, probably the best in college football.”

The Shrine Bowl offered Jones an opportunity to further prove his worth at the position, to shrug off any potential perception that his big year at the new spot was a one-off. He did just that.

“I think what he showed in college and at the Shrine Bowl, again, that when he’s inside the nickel, he’s so confident and he trusts his athletic ability,” Galko said. “That’s where I think most teams want to project him pretty quickly, too, and I think if he wasn’t the Jaguars’ pick, he wasn’t going to last much longer than the end of round three to the top of round four.”

Prince, meanwhile, was not a player Jacksonville expected to be available at its No. 153 overall pick, per Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke. Baalke believes Prince will compete for playing time in the team’s defense, he said after the draft, and Galko shares a similar sentiment.

The 6-foot, 183-pound prospect posted 146 tackles with six for loss, six interceptions, 27 passes defended and two forced fumbles over four seasons with Ole Miss, not including his bridge season at Northeast Mississippi Community College in 2020.

“Super good athlete, physical, confident kid on the perimeter. Kind of a quieter guy but really locked in, super high football IQ,” Galko noted about Prince, sharing that he was invited to the Shrine Bowl in 2023 before returning to school, too. “But uber-talented and tremendous athlete, he ran a 4.3-something I think at the combine, and that certainly shows up on film.

“He can press, get deep and play vertical too. I think if you want to run a little more man, or Cover 3 or Cover 1, he could do that a really high level in the NFL.”

Florida State owned the No. 11-ranked passing defense in the FBS last season, with Jones and second-round 2024 NFL draft pick by San Francisco, cornerback Renardo Green, leading the unit. Prince and Green combined for four interceptions and 16 passed defended in 2023.

Galko views Jones and Prince as a similarly threatening pair in Jacksonville’s defense of the future.

“If you watch Jarrian Jones and Renardo Greene with each other, if it was a two-by-two set, that side of the field was shut down,” Galko said. “That can be Prince and Jarrian for the future.”

Stats, facts and fit: New Jaguars CB Jarrian Jones

Stats, facts and fit: New Jaguars CB Jarrian Jones

Jacksonville addressed arguably its biggest positional need of the draft before the conclusion of the 2024 NFL draft’s second day late Friday night, picking Florida State cornerback Jarrian Jones at No. 96 overall in the third round.

Jaguars Wire analyzes Jacksonville’s selection of Jones below, reviewing his background, college stats, NFL combine results, projected fit in Jacksonville’s defense and what he said after being picked.

Jarrian Jones, CB, Florida State

Oct 9, 2021; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive back Jarrian Jones (7) makes an interception against North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Khafre Brown (1) during the first half at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

Background

A consensus four-star safety prospect from the class of 2019, Jones collected 25 scholarship offers during his prep tenure with Flowood (Miss.) Northwest Rankin and originally signed with his home-state school, Mississippi State.

After appearing in 11 games as a freshman, Jones entered the NCAA transfer portal and first committed to rival Ole Miss before spurning the Rebels and flipping to Florida State.

It took Jones some time to adjust to his new program, but before too long, he was considered one of the team’s influential voices, one that encouraged fellow Seminoles to return to the team for the 2023 campaign. The results were an undefeated, 13-0 regular season last year.

Jones was a solid contributor over his first few seasons with Florida State. But it was in 2022-2023 when he truly shined, producing 44 tackles including five for loss, four interceptions and seven pass breakups in that span.

Jones entered the 2024 NFL draft after exhausting his college eligibility. He never redshirted but received the COVID-19 pandemic-generated eligibility extension.

College stats

via Seminoles.com and Pro Football Focus

  • 96 tackles
  • 5.5 tackles for loss
  • One sack
  • 23 defensive stops (tackles that constitute a failed play for the offense)
  • Five interceptions (one pick-six)
  • 12 pass breakups
  • One forced fumble
  • Two fumble recoveries
  • 63-of-113 (55.8%) completion percentage allowed in coverage

NFL combine results

via MockDraftable

  • 5-foot-11 and 7/8-inch (57th percentile among cornerbacks since 1999)
  • 190 pounds (39th percentile)
  • 30-inch arm length (8th percentile)
  • 73 and 1/4-inch wingspan (15th percentile)
  • 4.38-second 40-yard (89th percentile)
  • 1.53-second 10-yard split (61st percentile)
  • 39 and 1/2-inch vertical jump (86th percentile)

Projected fit

Although Jones spent most of his college career at outside cornerback (1,263 snaps), he transitioned to nickel corner in 2023  (394 snaps inside compared to 27 outside) and produced more turnovers than in any other season in his career, five. He also tallied five tackles for loss and four quarterback pressures on the year.

The Jaguars believe Jones is suited to play both spots in the pros. But with Tyson Campbell and free agent signee Ronald Darby in place outside for Jacksonville in 2024, Jones’ easiest path toward immediate playing time will likely be in the slot.

“He can play inside and outside; he’s not just a nickel,” Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said of Jones Friday. “He’s 5’11” and change, he’s 190-plus pounds. He runs 4.39, he can play outside and inside but he happened to play primarily inside there.” 

Quotable

“Growing up I was a big Maurice Jones-Drew guy, big Maurice Jones-Drew guy. Like I was a superfan of him. I watched just about every game that he played. When Jalen [CB Jalen Ramsey] went there from Florida State, I was tuned into every game. Him playing inside, outside, just what he brought to the game. I kind of fell in love with the Jaguars while Jalen was there, especially while Maurice Jones-Drew was there. Just now me being able to continue that Florida State pipeline and come in, make plays, do what I do best, it’s a blessing man.” — cornerback Jarrian Jones on growing up a Jacksonville fan

CB Jarrian Jones: Playing for Jaguars ‘a dream of mine’

Jacksonville third-round pick, cornerback Jarrian Jones: “Playing for the Jaguars has been a dream of mine.”

Roughly 250 individual dreams come true around this time each year, when prospects receive calls from pro teams about their imminent selection in the 2024 NFL draft.

For Florida State cornerback Jarrian Jones, two dreams were realized late Friday night, when his name was called by Jacksonville with the No. 96 overall pick in the third round.

“Man,” Jones exclaimed to reporters in his post-selection press conference, “when I saw that number pop up, I was so happy because playing for the Jaguars has been a dream of mine.”

From Magee, Miss., teams like New Orleans, Atlanta, Dallas, even AFC South rivals Tennessee and Houston geographically make a bit more sense for Jones to have been devoted to in his youth. What made the Jaguars his favorite team?

“Growing up I was a big Maurice Jones-Drew guy,” Jones revealed. “Big Maurice Jones-Drew guy, like I was a superfan of him. I watched just about every game that he played.”

Jacksonville’s second-round pick in 2006, Jones-Drew began his time with the Jaguars when Jones was five years old and received numerous All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors throughout Jones’ formative years around the game of football.

Jones recalled regularly playing the Madden video game series with Jones-Drew as his player of choice — “he used to go for like 200 yards every game I played,” Jones said — and frequently observing Jones-Drew plow over defenders in the A-gap of the trenches on Sundays.

“I had the t-shirt that had MJD on the back,” Jones shared. “I was kind of one of those fanatics.”

Jones’ feelings for the Jaguars only strengthened during the 2016 NFL draft, when Jacksonville took former Florida State cornerback Jalen Ramsey with its first-round selection.

In just over three seasons with the club, Ramsey earned one All-Pro and two Pro Bowl nods, setting a standard for performance at his position for Jones. The two former Seminoles have bonded over the years with the older defensive backs offering the young prospect tips of the trade.

“I definitely idolized Jalen, of course coming from Florida State we kind of played in the same defense,” Jones said. “When Jalen went there from Florida State, I was tuned into every game. Him playing inside, outside, just what he brought to the game.

“I kind of fell in love with the Jaguars while Jalen was there, [and] especially while Maurice Jones-Drew was there.”

With a pressing need at cornerback, Jacksonville made Jones its third pick of the 2024 NFL draft after taking wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and defensive lineman Maason Smith Jr., both from LSU, in the first and second rounds, respectively.

In five seasons of college football, one with Mississippi State and four with Florida State, Jones recorded 96 tackles with 7.5 for loss, five interceptions, 12 pass breakups and two fumble recoveries over 55 games and 29 starts.

Day 3 of the 2024 NFL draft will begin at noon ET on Saturday. Jacksonville has six selections remaining.

2024 NFL draft: Jaguars pick CB Jarrian Jones in third round

2024 NFL draft: Jaguars pick CB Jarrian Jones in third round

Late Friday, Jacksonville selected Florida State cornerback Jarrian Jones with its compensatory, No. 96 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

The Jaguars traded their original 2024 third-round pick to Atlanta in a package for wide receiver Calvin Ridley, who now plays for Tennessee. They received the compensatory pick due to offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor’s 2023 free agency signing with Kansas City.

Jones, who spent four years with the Seminoles after signing with Mississippi State out of high school in 2019, joins the Jaguars after accumulating 96 tackles with 7.5 for loss, five interceptions, 12 pass breakups and two fumble recoveries over 55 games and 29 starts in college.

Standing at 5-foot-11 and 7/8-inch (57th percentile among cornerbacks since 1999), 190 pounds (39th percentile), Jones posted a 4.38-second 40-yard dash (89th percentile), 1.53-second 10-yard split (61st percentile), 39 and 1/2-inch vertical jump (86th percentile) and 129-inch broad jump (87th percentile) at the NFL combine.

Jones was Jacksonville’s third selection of the 2024 NFL draft, following first-round wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and second-round defensive lineman Maason Smith, both hailing from LSU.

Jaguars’ remaining 2024 NFL draft picks

  • Round 4, Pick 114
  • Round 4, Pick 116 (via New Orleans)
  • Round 5, Pick 153
  • Round 5, Pick 167 (via Minnesota)
  • Round 6, Pick 212
  • Round 7, Pick 236

This is a breaking news story that will be updated. 

Colts hosted versatile Florida State CB Jarrian Jones on top-30 pre-draft visit

The Colts reportedly hosted versatile Florida State cornerback Jarrian Jones on an official pre-draft visit. Here’s what you need to know.

In need of help at the cornerback position, the Colts reportedly hosted versatile Florida State cornerback Jarrian Jones on an official pre-draft visit, according to Aaron Wilson.

Jones measures in at just under 6-0 and weighs 190 pounds. He really impressed at the NFL Combine running a 4.38-second 40-yard dash along with elite vertical and broad jump numbers, resulting in a 9.87 Relative Athletic Score–the third-highest RAS at the cornerback position.

Jones played 1,796 snaps at the college level. In 2023, 394 of those snaps came from the slot. Prior to that, he was primarily a boundary cornerback.

In the slot, Jones allowed a completion rate of 50 percent on 32 targets, holding pass-catchers to 9.9 yards per catch. He also came away with three interceptions nad three pass breakups. It was a very small sample size, but Jones did find some success as a blitzer as well.

From the boundary in 2022, Jones was targeted 24 times, allowing a completion rate of 46 percent at 10.4 yards per catch with one interception and three pass breakups.

By PFF’s grading system, Jones was a much more effective slot corner than a boundary corner. Jones’ missed tackle rate of 16 percent for his career is a bit on the high side.

For more on Jones, here is what Lance Zierlein of NFL.com had to say in his pre-draft report:

“Urgent cornerback with good size and above-average aggression in all aspects of his game. While Jones is all gas from snap to whistle, he can be clunky matching a receiver’s release and has a hard time transitioning through sharp break points without allowing glaring separation. His chase speed is average and he might require help over the top. He does a nice job of anticipating breaks from a shuffle and is effective from zone with a decent burst to close when playing forward. He’s aggressive in run support and battles for positioning in coverage. Jones’ limitations might be mitigated and his strengths maximized as a nickel cornerback playing forward from a zone-heavy cover scheme.”

Cornerback is the biggest need that the Colts have to address in this year’s draft, and if they are unable to do so in the first round, Jones provides them with a Day 2 option.

With Kenny Moore re-signed this offseason, if the Colts were to select Jones, while he could be a backup to Moore in the slot, the Colts would have to view him as a capable boundary defender, since that is where his playing time would come from.

Last season, explosive pass plays were an issue for this Colts secondary, along with them ranking in the bottom-third of the NFL in both total pass breakups and yards per pass attempt allowed.

Presumably, as the roster is currently constructed, JuJu Brents will man one of the boundary spots with Dallis Flowers and Jaylon Jones competing for the other.

In what is a very good cornerback class, Jones is PFF’s 15th ranked corner and the 113th rated prospect overall.

Panthers nab starting WR in ESPN’s 7-round mock draft

ESPN’s Matt Miller left the Panthers with a solid haul in his new seven-round mock draft.

ESPN NFL draft analyst and insider Matt Miller did the Lord’s work this week, and he’s blessed the Carolina Panthers in the process.

Miller’s seven-round 2024 mock draft was released on Wednesday. To begin his spring collection for Carolina, he projects University of South Carolina wideout Xavier Legette as the 33rd overall pick:

One nugget I’ve heard from multiple NFL scouts since the Senior Bowl is that the Panthers love this wide receiver class and believe they will be able to add a rookie starter at No. 33. The Panthers sent 10 people to the South Carolina pro day, and Legette’s 4.39 speed at 6-1 and 221 pounds is perfect for slant routes — which would in turn help quarterback Bryce Young get the ball out faster in 2024.

Legette delivered a nugget himself just two weeks ago at his pro day.

“A lot of coaches came and hollered at me before and after this process here,” the Mullins, S.C. native said of the Panthers. “They say they got a buzz in their facility for me and I’m just ready to see where I’ma land.”

The big 6-foot-1, 221-pounder ended his time for the Gamecocks on a high note—reeling in 71 receptions for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns. Legette’s efforts earned him a second-team All-SEC selection.

To round out Carolina’s haul, Miller mocked the following prospects to join Legette:

  • No. 39: OT Kingsley Suamataia (BYU)
  • No. 65: DE Chris Braswell (Alabama)
  • No. 101: RB Braelon Allen (Wisconsin)
  • No. 141: CB Jarrian Jones (Florida State)
  • No. 142: DT Justin Eboigbe (Alabama)
  • No. 240: WR Jordan Whittington (Texas)

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Colts hosting CB Jarrian Jones for top-30 visit pre-NFL draft

The Colts will host CB Jarrian Jones for a top-30 visit.

The Indianapolis Colts reportedly will host Florida State cornerback Jarrian Jones for a top-30 visit ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.

After missing out on the trade for L’Jarius Sneed, who went to the division-rival Tennessee Titans, the Colts can still add some young talent to the secondary.

Jones would be an intriguing candidate to consider if Indy opts to go in a different direction early in the draft. According to Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network, the Colts are bringing Jones in for a visit.

Jones has adequate size at 6-foot-0 and 190 pounds, and he tested through the roof at the NFL Scouting Combine, posting a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash to go along with a 39.5-inch vertical and 10-foot-9-inch broad jump. However, his 30-inch arms and slight frame may push him inside more often than not.

At Florida State, he lined up almost exclusively in the slot during the 2023 season, and he thrived in coverage. According to Pro Football Focus, Jones allowed a 50% catch rate, 9.9 yards per reception and a mere 25.3 passer rating in coverage on 32 targets.

It will be interesting to see how the Colts go about their draft process considering the massive need to add a boundary cornerback, but Jones has the skill set that will intrigue Indy on Day 2.

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Packers to host top 30 pre-draft visit with Florida State CB Jarrian Jones

The Green Bay Packers will host Florida State cornerback Jarrian Jones on an official top 30 visit ahead of the 2024 NFL draft

The Green Bay Packers will host Florida State cornerback Jarrian Jones on an official top 30 visit ahead of the 2024 NFL draft, per Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network.

Teams are allowed to host up to 30 prospects on visits ahead of the draft. Packers Wire is tracking all the reported visits here.

Jones (6-0, 190) intercepted five passes, recorded 15 passes defensed and produced 84 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery over 44 games.

Jones was named Florida State’s most improved defensive player in both 2022 and 2023. He was an All-ACC pick and the team’s winner of the Bobby Bowden Leadership Award in 2023.

After giving up five touchdown passes in coverage in 2021, Jones became a lockdown defender over the last two seasons, allowing zero touchdown passes while intercepting four passes across 56 targets into his coverage in 2022 and 2023, per PFF. He earned an elite coverage grade and an elite man coverage grade during the 2023 season when he played almost 90 percent of his total snaps in the slot.

Jones registered a Relative Athletic Score of 9.87 out of 10.0. He produced elite jumps (39.5″ vertical, 10-9 broad) and a 40-yard dash time of 4.38 seconds.

Jones is PFF’s No. 98 player overall in the class, putting him in the late Day 2, early Day 3 range.

The Packers re-signed Keisean Nixon to play in the slot, but Jones could be an ideal player to develop there long-term.