In a deep class of cornerbacks, Washington’s Sidney Jones is among the best.
School: Washington Ht: 6-0 Wt: 181
Strengths
Jones is a plus athlete with smooth movement skills. He has quick, light feet in coverage that allows him to be sticky in coverage, in and out of breaks. He has long arms, using his length to jam and re-route receivers. His awareness and route-recognition are top notch. Has an alpha-dog mentality and carries himself like an elite cover man. Possesses above-the-line body control and ball skills. Anticipates and diagnoses well and is able to transfer what his eyes see to his feet instantly.
Jones is not an overly physical tackler, but he gets ball carriers to the ground by effectively wrapping up the legs of opponents. The most important thing is that he is willing to get involved as a tackler. He’s also been durable, starting all but three games over the past three seasons.
Weaknesses
Jones possesses a wiry, lanky frame and doesn’t carry a lot of sand in his pants. He can get pushed around by bigger, more physical receivers. He also shows a tendency to be a spectator as a run defender. It doesn’t appear that his frame can carry much more weight, raising concerns over how he’ll hold up in the NFL.
2017 NFL Draft Positional Rankings
Overall
Sidney Jones is a natural cover man with elite overall skills. While not a super-freak athlete, he’ll test well in drills. Other than the concerns over his lack of bulk, Jones is as good as any corner in this class. His quick feet, anticipation and ball skills will allow him to be scheme-diverse. He’ll never be a 200 lb corner, and most teams would be ok with that.
NFL Comparison
Josh Norman
Draft Position
Mid to Late Round 1
