Help me with the Chandler Jones love

[midwestpatsfan]

I had him on my pre-season watch list because of his size and watched a few games of his during the college season and came away with one thought-ehhhh:confused2:

Then, about a week or 2 ago, his name started popping up everywhere as "the" guy that was rocketing up boards, so I went back and watched again, and I have to say, I still am not sure I get the hype.

Here is what I came away with:
Positives: Freakish size, with long arms and legs. Ht. WT. Spd that the Patriots seem to covet. Shows some upper body strength and uses his hands reasonably well. Plays past the whistle and consistently is down field to assist on plays that have gone away from his side. Has some raw pass rush ability. Seems to set the edge well and is a good run stopper.

Negatives: I do not see the burst needed to be an elite pass rusher. Always seems to be a split second slow off the snap. Is not as fast as his timed speed. Pass rush moves are very limited. Legs are awfully skinny(crable esc?) Not sure he can drop into coverage to play the 3-4 OLB and not sure he has the lower body strength to play the 5-tech on the line. See him more as a pure 4-3 DE (which the Patriots do play a lot of) but I just do not see the fit for the pats scheme.

What am I missing here? I am hearing he could go top 10 now and go ahead of Coples.

 

[Thirdbasekid24]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the fact that his brother is Jon Jones might lead people to believe he has a champions mentality in his blood to go with his athleticism? Who knows. I still had him going in round 2 in my mock.

EDIT: Those chicken legs must run in the family.

 

[Gator Mike]

Didn't get it weeks ago.

Don't get it now.

Probably won't get it until he steps on the field and changes my mind.

I'm not sure what we'd do with him.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Your missing the fact that the Patriots just got 1 slot better in their draft if that happens.

 

[ay-yo]

vs. WVU
vs. Pitt
vs. UConn

I think he just gets consistent pressure on almost all plays. He's a tad slow off the line but constantly fighting and making another move to get after the qb. I disagree that his pass rush moves are limited. If he's your teams top pass rusher he doesn't need to worry about dropping into coverage. That said top 10 is silly. But I'd take him over the rest of the OLB / DEs. Maybe Coples over him.

 

[Gator Mike]

I think he just gets consistent pressure on almost all plays. He's a tad slow off the line but constantly fighting and making another move to get after the qb.

...all of which is admirable.

But if I'm taking a DE/OLB in the first round, I want him to actually get home on a fairly regular basis. Jones doesn't do it often enough in the Big East... don't see any reason why that would change in the AFC East.

 

[ATippett56]

vs. WVU
vs. Pitt
vs. UConn

I think he just gets consistent pressure on almost all plays.

West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Connecticut ... all collegiate football powerhouses!

 

[Merril Hoge's Tie Knot]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the fact that his brother is Jon Jones might lead people to believe he has a champions mentality in his blood to go with his athleticism? Who knows. I still had him going in round 2 in my mock.

That would be funny (because its so stupid), but it's also possibly true. I believe his brother just had a huge win a couple days ago.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Good motor. Great size. Potential. Hard worker. Competitive. High Character. Instinctive.

 

[Wilfork#75]

I don't get it either. He has a great frame and uses his hands pretty well, but he doesn't have a great first step, has poor lateral agility and is so slow in pursuit. I don't see him as an elite pass rusher and I think NFL OT's will have their way with him in the running game because I think he will lose the leverage battle on the edge. I can't remember who posted it, but someone likened him to a baby giraffe because he is a bit uncoordinated, and I have to agree. Its nothing personal against the guy, because I know he is a good kid, but I don't think he is a first round player.

 

[captain stone]

I had him on my pre-season watch list because of his size and watched a few games of his during the college season and came away with one thought-ehhhh:confused2:

Then, about a week or 2 ago, his name started popping up everywhere as "the" guy that was rocketing up boards, so I went back and watched again, and I have to say, I still am not sure I get the hype.

Here is what I came away with:
Positives: Freakish size, with long arms and legs. Ht. WT. Spd that the Patriots seem to covet. Shows some upper body strength and uses his hands reasonably well. Plays past the whistle and consistently is down field to assist on plays that have gone away from his side. Has some raw pass rush ability. Seems to set the edge well and is a good run stopper.

Negatives: I do not see the burst needed to be an elite pass rusher. Always seems to be a split second slow off the snap. Is not as fast as his timed speed. Pass rush moves are very limited. Legs are awfully skinny(crable esc?) Not sure he can drop into coverage to play the 3-4 OLB and not sure he has the lower body strength to play the 5-tech on the line. See him more as a pure 4-3 DE (which the Patriots do play a lot of) but I just do not see the fit for the pats scheme.

What am I missing here? I am hearing he could go top 10 now and go ahead of Coples.

I am in complete agreement, for all the reasons above.

 

[manxman2601]

I don't get it either. He has a great frame and uses his hands pretty well, but he doesn't have a great first step, has poor lateral agility and is so slow in pursuit. I don't see him as an elite pass rusher and I think NFL OT's will have their way with him in the running game because I think he will lose the leverage battle on the edge. I can't remember who posted it, but someone likened him to a baby giraffe because he is a bit uncoordinated, and I have to agree. Its nothing personal against the guy, because I know he is a good kid, but I don't think he is a first round player.

That was me.

Mayock said tonight apparently that in three years time he will be the best defensive player to come out of this draft. Hmmm.

 

[patfanken]

That was me.

Mayock said tonight apparently that in three years time he will be the best defensive player to come out of this draft. Hmmm.

That's right - Mayock had him rated in his top 10. I find that kind of shocking, but I'm assuming he has watch a lot more film on this kid than we have, so there must be something going on with this kid.

I certainly won't hate it if we draft him.

 

[zimmy]

If Mayock says it, it means some of his NFL contacts have told him this. He was nowhere on his lists a few weeks ago. Mayock is pretty tight with Bill so I always look a bit closer at his rankings than others. He also has a few other players the Pats supposedly like a bit higher than other mocks - Casey Hayward, Dequan Menzie, Vinny Curry, Trumaine Johnson

 

[Rob0729]

For what it is worth, the NFL Network says the Pats really really like Jones.

Citing a source with knowledge of the situation, NFL Network's Stacey Dales reports that the Patriots "really, really like" Syracuse DE Chandler Jones.

Dales is currently in Foxboro, so this is a step up from your normal speculation. Jones is projected to come off the board in the middle of round one, but New England doesn't pick until No. 27. They'd likely need to move up, at least, a half-dozen picks to land Jones' services. Skyrocketing up draft boards over the last few days, Jones would help replace the snaps of free agent Andre Carter.

Recent news on Chandler Jones - College Player - Rotoworld.com

 

[Wilfork#75]

If Mayock says it, it means some of his NFL contacts have told him this. He was nowhere on his lists a few weeks ago. Mayock is pretty tight with Bill so I always look a bit closer at his rankings than others. He also has a few other players the Pats supposedly like a bit higher than other mocks - Casey Hayward, Dequan Menzie, Vinny Curry, Trumaine Johnson

Exactly, he's a puppet for his friends in the league just like most of the national media guys. What has changed in the last 2 weeks to have him a top pick now when he wasn't even in his top 5 DE's 2 months ago. I doubt its the tape because that hasn't changed since the end of the season. And he certainly didn't blow anyone away at the combine. So I think he must be moving guys up based on what his sources in the league say rather than his own evaluations. Which is a shame because I think he is one of the better guys at breaking down tape and evaluating players. He's suppose to be an analyst, so I want to see him form his own opinions and stick with them, rather than change based on others opinions.

 

[WhiZa]

I like Chandler Jones just not in the first round. He's the type of player that does everything good but nothing great. I'd like to see more of an impact player taken that high.

 

[letekro]

NFL body. Long arms. Versatility. He will go well above where the Pats are picking, so the haters don't have to worry.

 

[Gator Mike]

Mayock said tonight apparently that in three years time he will be the best defensive player to come out of this draft. Hmmm.

I love Mayock, but he said the same thing about Robert Ayers three years ago.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

I find it hard to believe that anyone in the patriots organization would tell stacey dales what players they like. Last year no one knew about nate solder being on the pats radar (except scott zolak who called it).

Ill be honest with you. The chargers too are looking at getting an edge rusher, and i wouldn't be shocked if this is just a ploy by the pats to get a team like san diego to become less interested in the guy the pats really want.

I still think lavonte david.