Prospect Film Review: Sidney Jones
19 January 2017 DRAFT Film Review
The Philadelphia Eagles have quite a predicament on their hands. There are a couple of spots on the roster where the Eagles can and need to upgrade. The predicament is, which spot should they upgrade with their first round pick?
Cornerback is a big position of need. The Eagles’ secondary was ranked 32nd in the NFL by PFF. There is no denying the Eagles need help at the cornerback position. If they look to go that route, Sidney Jones is a name to keep in mind.
Jones attended Washington University where he thrived on the football field. In his career, Jones totaled 145 tackles, 8 interceptions and 21 passes defended.
“After watching Marcus Peters take the NFL by storm as a rookie corner, NFL scouts are paying close attention to the development of the Huskies’ young CB1 to see if he has the tools to make a similar impact at the next level. Based on his strong sophomore campaign, I believe he has the tools, competitiveness, instincts and IQ to be a “shutdown” playmaker as a pro. Jones exhibits rare polish for a young corner. He mixes in a variety of techniques (press, bail and off) in coverage, yet is rarely out of position when the ball is thrown in his area. He maintains hip-pocket positioning on receivers down the field, but also flashes the explosiveness to close quickly out of his breaks on short and intermediate routes. Most impressively, Jones shows outstanding ball skills and hands when the ball is in the air. With turnovers coveted at a premium, Jones’ potential as a playmaker makes him the top prospect at the position.”
Washington CB Sidney Jones only allows one catch for every 17.9 snaps in coverage, which ranks No. 17 among Power-5 CBs. #CFBPlayoff
— Jordan Plocher (@PFF_Jordan) December 31, 2016
However, transitioning into the NFL is not the easiest thing to do. What are Jones’ strengths and weaknesses and how will they affect him in the NFL? To show you, let’s get into the tape!
Strengths
Ball Skill
Not only is this an heads up play, it also shows off his ball skill. Jones reads the screen all the way and jumps the route. He bats the ball to himself and secures the interception. He has a knack of making plays on the ball.
Jones runs this route for the receiver, he makes his presence known. He beats the receiver at the beginning of the route and at the end. He does a great job of going up and getting the misplaced ball thrown by the quarterback, he beats the receiver to the point.
He can do it all (Press and Man coverage)
This is perfect man coverage by Jones. He runs and stays tight to his man. He does a great job of riding the receiver right up the out of bounds line. This makes it very hard for the quarterback to complete the pass and for the receiver to make a catch. Like I said, in man coverage, this is about as perfect of coverage as you will see.
Being an Eagles fan, you know one of their biggest weaknesses is the slant route. Watch how perfect Jones covers it. Again, in man coverage, Jones is toe and toe with his receiver. He gives the receiver no room at all, he is with him on every step.
This is a great example of Jones in a zone defense. He gives the quarterback no window to throw. The receiver is not getting by him and he was ready to jump the route and make a play. Although Jones is a shutdown corner in man defense, he can still strut his stuff in zone.
IQ
If you watch Jones play, there are countless plays where he jumps it or reads it completely. He is a very smart cornerback. Here is an example where he sees the running back screen from a mile away. Although he does not make the tackle, he disrupts the play and someone else cleans it up. Heads up football by Jones.
Final Verdict
If the Eagles are on the clock and Jones is there, they would be foolish if they did not take him. He is a stud. I believe he has all the tools to be a shutdown cornerback. Jones is the cornerback the Eagles need. One that makes plays on the ball and is almost impossible to beat. He is a great player and I know he will thrive in the NFL.