Taking a look at the Patriots' draft picks from several angles, including measurables, media reports and game film analysis:
Patriots third-round pick
85th overall, 21st in third round
Marcus Jones, DB, Houston
Age: 24
5-8, 175 pounds
Hands: 8½ . Arms: 29. Vertical: n/a. 3-cone: n/a. Bench: N/A.
* Didn't work out after surgeries on both shoulders.
Stats (career): 42 passes defended, 10 interceptions. 4 return touchdowns as senior.
PRE-DRAFT ANALYSIS
• TRANSITION
Jones was so much fun to watch with his piston-like feet, his outstanding mirror-match press man ability, and his physical toughness and competitiveness, and despite his lack of size he will transition well to the NFL both as an outside corner depending on matchups and as a slot corner where he can absolutely thrive. Jones was as good an outside mirror-match press man corner as any corner I saw on tape, with an uncanny ability to crowd and squeeze receivers on their release and then pattern match through routes at all three levels. There were two concerns with Jones as a press man corner, and one of course was lack of size and length (and that's a significant limitation) and the other was his inability to locate and play the ball on vertical throws, but those concerns were as an outside corner and would not be as critical in the slot where Jones also showed higher-level traits. My sense is Jones will project as a slot corner for most NFL teams, with the traits to play on the outside depending on the matchups of a given opponent. Overall Jones is an excellent football player and NFL DCs will want him on the field with his explosive physical traits and his high-level competitiveness. It would not surprise me at all if some teams saw Jones as a safety (he played snaps at safety for Houston) with perhaps the thought that he could become a Tyrann Mathieu kind of player, with outstanding versatility to play multiple roles in the secondary. - Greg Cosell
• SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Houston, Jones was an inside and outside cornerback in defensive coordinator Doug Belk’s man-zone scheme. After two seasons at Troy, he transferred to Houston where he was among the FBS leaders in interceptions, punt return touchdowns and kick return touchdowns in 2021, becoming the first consensus All-American in Houston history since Ed Oliver (2018) and second since Andre Ware (1989). One of the most versatile players in college football, Jones scored a touchdown four ways in college (reception, interception, kick return, punt return) and tied the NCAA record with nine career kickoff/punt return touchdowns. He has the lower-body twitch to mirror, match and make easy transitions in coverage, finishing with noticeable closing burst. Overall, Jones is small on paper but big on tape with sticky cover athleticism, physical compete skills, and excellent on-ball production. He is a tailor-made slot cornerback in the NFL with playmaking ability as a return man.
GRADE: 2nd-3rd Round (No. 70 overall) - Dane Brugler
Projects as a twitchy, undersized slot cornerback with playmaking traits and game-changing return talent. Jones has the hips and feet to cover slippery slot receivers and the ballhawking instincts to make plays from zone. He can be too reliant on his athletic ability. He needs to play with better discipline and route anticipation as a pro. He can be mismatched against size but he's plenty scrappy in those battles. Jones' lack of size will hurt him with some teams while others will elevate his grade thanks to his electric ability on special teams. There could be teams that look to give him reps at receiver, where he would have more big-play opportunities. - NFL.com
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FILM ANALYSIS
BEDARD'S ANALYSIS
Strengths
- Did not review his kick return ability. Not much of a projection there. Either you can do it, or you can't. From what I've seen, Jones should be able to make the transition but I don't think he'll be as big a factor as he was in a weak conference.
- For his size, Jones is well put together. Strong upper body.
- Does not know he's 5-8 and shouldn't be laying hits. Not afraid to put body on the line to make a play.
- Excellent quickness both in man coverage and zone. Never out of phase against receivers, always seems to be in their hip pocket.
- Very physical in coverage, doesn't matter the size of the receiver. Routinely played tough against receivers 6-0 or taller.
- Smart player, can tell he watches film. Knows route combinations and when to jump receivers based on scheme tendencies. That will only get better in time. This is the manner in which he reminds of Tyrann Mathieu.
- Has played every position in the secondary, from outside corner to strong safety.
- Tackles hard. Constantly shows hustle from the backside of plays.
- Baller. Competes his butt off.
Weaknesses
- Health. Have to worry about a 24-year-old (October) undersized corner who has already needed both shoulders operated on.
- Size will limit his ceiling in the NFL. When he loses, it's purely because of a size differential. He's always there, but 5-8 and short arms only gets you so far, especially on the boundary.
- Will need to improve tackling if he plays as a floating safety in the secondary. Dips his head at times, stops feet. Likely just needs more reps.
- Hands are decent but there's a reason why quick guys end up as DBs instead of WRs - lack of consistent catching ability.
- Despite December and February shoulder surgeries, never did a running workout which should raise questions about his top-end speed and quickness. Bad numbers might have dropped him in the draft. Surgeries/no workout are a risk by New England.
Parting thoughts
- Love the player. Loves to play. Knows how to play. Gives max effort. Has ball skills, tackle skills. There isn't anything he can't do.
- The question is, where does he play in the NFL? Landing in New England helps him because they will use him in a variety of ways, which he probably needs to me. Not sure he can make his living as just a slot corner, or just a roving safety like Honey Badger. But if you deploy him differently in each game, that will help maximize him as a player.
- The surgeries worry me because I think his ideal spot is as a roving safety like Mathieu, but I'm not sure he can handle the punishment multiple years at a collision position.
- I would want to use Jones' smarts at safety instead of just having him cover in the slot. That would limit his abilities.
- Jack Jones also plays slot. I think Marcus Jones is a future safety (Devin McCourty, contract year), and Jack Jones is a slot. The Patriots obviously thought they needed better than Myles Bryant (he's really a free safety) backing up Jonathan Jones, who is in a contract year.
- Jones is a good player but he will have much to prove in New England. Really like him, but the Patriots have found similar players in undrafted free agency or as cheap free agents. But at least they're starting to plan ahead again with contract years. The Jones boys give the Patriots options in a year. That would have been helpful with many other positions.
STIDHAM TRADED TO RAIDERS
The Jarrett Stidham Era is over in New England as the team traded him to Josh McDaniels and the Raiders for a 2023 sixth-round pick (Patriots also sending a 2023 seventh). This was inevitable after the drafting of Bailey Zappe. Now it's up to the rookie to grab the backup role from Brian Hoyer.
Who could forget the Stidham Hype Train after Tom Brady signed with Tampa? Of course, BSJ never participated in that nonsense; Stidham was never, ever considered the guy internally. And now he's gone in similar fashion to Chase Winovich — a whole lot of bluster and hype, and not much production. Who's next in this regard?