PROSPECT SUMMARY - PATRICK JONES II

Pittsburgh defensive end Patrick Jones II takes his talents to the NFL after a strong junior and senior campaign where he racked up a combined 24 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks in 22 games. Jones II is a balanced defender, capable of making an impact as a pass rusher and run defender but he doesn’t offer much in the way of scheme-versatility—he’s a 4-3 defensive end with almost no experience in a standup role, dropping in coverage, or playing on the interior. As a pass rusher, Jones II is hard-charging out of his stance and brings a good variety of moves to the table. He’s a smart run defender that competes for his gap, processes quickly, and understands how to counter blocks. The concerns with Jones II entering the next level is his lean frame, modest length, and the need to continue developing his hand technique. Jones II has the upside to start in the NFL and command a majority of the snaps in an even front defense.

Ideal Role: Starting defensive end.

Scheme Fit: 4-3 defensive end.

FILM EVALUATION

Written by Joe Marino

Games watched: North Carolina (2019), Miami (2019), Duke (2019), Boston College (2019), Delaware (2019), Syracuse (2020), Louisville (2020), Miami (2020), Boston College (2020)

Best Game Studied: Duke (2019)

Worst Game Studied: Miami (2020)

First-Step Explosiveness: Jones II is a hard-charging pass rusher with fluid and rapid get-off. He coils up in his stance and is explosive with his release. His footwork is clean with no notable issues with false steps out of his stance.

Flexibility: Jones II has enough flexibility to corner the outside edge track with good ankle flexion where he can plant his foot well outside his frame and turn. He has good core strength to press tight rush angels through contact. Overall, he has sufficient flexibility but he isn’t overly bendy. He’s more flexible in his lowers and reducing his upper half can be challenging.

Hand Counters: Jones II has a good repertoire of hand counters and his best moves are a club-rip, inside swim, long-arm stab, dip-rip, bull, and spin. With that said, he has room to grow with his hand technique to be more consistent winning with first contact, deploying secondary moves, and developing more swipes to clear his pads. He does not play with consistent extension, which leads to reps being played too close to the vest, especially against the run.

Length: Jones II only appears to have modest length, and reps against the run are often played close to the vest. His long-arm stab against Delaware State in 2019 was gorgeous and a move I want to see him use more frequently. For a pass rusher that loves to use the bull rush as often as Jones II does, more length would be preferred.

Hand Power: Jones II has sufficient power in his hands and there are reps where his strikes led to control of reps. He has enough hand strength to clear his frame and disengage from blocks but it isn’t a “plus trait.” Jones II would be well-served to improve his technique so that he can win with first contact more consistently to help win earlier in reps.

Run Defending: Jones II does well to process and correctly respond on run downs. He quickly IDs blocks and understands his run fits. Jones II does a terrific job taking on pullers with a long arm technique and leverage. Despite being a leaner defensive end, Jones II is a high-effort run defender that competes to set the edge, squeeze gaps, and pursue the football.

Effort: There are no questions with Jones II’s snap-to-snap effort. He brings it on every down, competing hard in pursuit and will chase from distance. His modest frame leads to matchups where he concedes 50-plus pounds to his opponent and he never appears overwhelmed at the point of attack.

Football IQ: Jones II’s football IQ shines as a run defender, where his processing skills and understanding of run fits shine. With that said, there are times that he sells out to rush the passer and guesses incorrectly, leading to his gap not being manned on run downs. Jones II does well to get his hands in throwing lanes and has a strong feel for the game. He has good awareness of screen/draw plays and is generally where he is supposed to be.

Lateral Mobility: Jones II has sufficient lateral mobility and he flows well to the sideline and down the line of scrimmage in backside pursuit. I only charted one coverage drop in my exposures to Jones II. If a team sees him as a 3-4 outside linebacker, there aren’t reps at Pitt where he functions in that type of role, so playing in space is foreign to him.

Versatility: Jones II is a 4-3 defensive end with little appeal to play in a standup role as a 3-4 outside linebacker. While he has played on both the right and left sides, he isn’t a prospect that projects favorably to rushing interior gaps. He is a balanced defender that brings playmaking ability to the table as a pass rusher and run defender.

Prospect Comparison: Brian Robison (2007 NFL Draft, Minnesota Vikings)