Before Combine: Hgt: 6051, Wgt: 272, 40YD: 4.67-4.73-4.84
Draft Scout Snapshot:DS Rating on 08/12/07: #53 DE, #737/750 Overall, Projected: Rnd FA rising 2008 Postseason update (04/04/08): Stock: Up. Scouts have loved this kid since 2006, and he showed a nice combination of strength and quickness during East-West Shrine and Senior Bowl practices. He actually improved every day playing on the edge, instead of inside where he played for EMU. His Combine results were more than acceptable, and could have cemented his top 100 status: 4.76 40, 7.29 three cone, 10'3" broad at 6'5"+, 273 pounds (but only 18 reps).
2007: All-Mid-American Conference first-team selection…Played in all twelve games, starting eleven contests at right defensive tackle, coming off the bench vs. Western Michigan while nursing a leg contusion and knee sprain…Left the Toledo clash with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his knee…Finished tied with Eric Norwood of South Carolina for seventh in the nation with 19.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage, good for losses totaling 67 yards… Recorded 70 tackles (43 solos), third-best on the team, as he added 3.5 sacks for minus 25 yards and ten quarterback pressures…Caused and recovered a fumble…Deflected three passes and blocked a kick...11 GP; 11 GS; 57 TT, 18.5 TFL, 4 SK, 2 QBH, 2 FF; 2nd team All-MAC in '06. 11 GP; 11 GS; 47 TT, 12 TFL, 6.5 SK, 6 QBH, 1 SFTY in '05. 11 GP; 3 GS; Rec: 4-12-3-0 in '04.
Jason Jones/Eastern Michigan football Videos
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Overview
After beginning his collegiate career as a tight end for the Eagles, Jones shifted to strong-side defensive tackle as a sophomore. He developed into one of the nation's top run stuffers, ranking fifth in the NCAA in tackles for losses as a junior. He continued to excel in the trenches as a senior while playing tackle and defensive end, finishing tied for seventh in the country with 19.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage.
For his career, Jones registered 50 stops for losses, ranking 16th all-time in Mid-American Conference history. Only Kenny Philpot (74, 1998-2001) registered more stops behind the line of scrimmage than Jones in Eastern Michigan annals.
At Lathrup High School, Jones enjoyed an outstanding prep career as a football and basketball player. He was named first-team All-Oakland Athletic Association as a senior, recording 27 tackles, six sacks, four forced fumbles and seven interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns. He also caught 25 passes for 395 yards and eight touchdowns as a receiver. The Detroit News named him the 44th-best player on the Blue Chip list in the state of Michigan, as he also added All-Metro North honors.
Jones started as a junior and senior on the school's basketball team. He led the hoops squad to the Class A regionals in 2003-04 after averaging 24 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and two blocks. He was chosen Most Valuable Player in the Motor City Roundball Classic, as he also garnered third-team Class A All-State pick as well as a first-team All-Metro North recognition.
As a junior, Jones was selected by the Detroit Free Press as a third-team Class A All-State, first-team All-Metro North and second-team All-Metro pick in basketball. The Southfield Observer & Eccentric named him to their All-Area hoops team and he was also named his squad's Most Valuable Player.
As a true freshman, Jones started three of 11 games he played in as a tight end for Eastern Michigan. He also saw action on the defensive line midway through the season, making one solo tackle while grabbing four passes for 12 yards.
Jones took over strong-side defensive duties the following season, earning Player of the Week honors twice. He made 47 tackles (28 solos) while ranking second on the squad with 6.5 sacks and 12 stops for losses. He also registered six pressures and a safety.
The coaching staff unleashed Jones on opposing ballcarriers in 2006, as he led the Mid American Conference and ranked fifth in the nation with 18.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage. The second-team All-MAC pick added four sacks and two pressures while finishing sixth on the squad with 57 tackles (29 solos). He also caused two fumbles.
Jones received All-American third-team and All-MAC first-team honors in 2007. He tied for seventh in the NCAA with a career-high 19.5 stops for losses, as he posted 70 tackles (43 solos), the third-best total on the team. He added 10 pressures as he recovered and caused a fumble while breaking up three passes and blocking a kick.
In 45 games at Eastern Michigan, Jones started 33 times on defense and three times on offense. He collected 175 tackles (101 solos) with 14 sacks for minus-101 yards and ranks second in school history with 50 stops for losses of 194 yards. He generated 18 quarterback pressures, recovered one fumble and caused three others. He deflected three passes, blocked a kick and registered a safety. He also caught four passes for 12 yards.
Analysis
Positives: Lacks ideal bulk and has just adequate quickness, but displays excellent arm length to keep blockers away from his body...Lacks explosiveness off the snap, but has the functional speed to get into the gaps to disrupt the plays...When he keeps his hands active, he has good success in attaining leverage over the blocker and his long arms allow him to stack opponents at the line...Plays at a high motor and throws a lot of motion on the blockers, using his hands adequately to pull and jerk the blockers out of the way...Has shown improvement in maintaining separation on the move and zeroes in on the quarterback with good urgency when attempting to close on the pocket...Better fit as a three-technique type, where he is able to control action inside when he keeps his pad level low...Has the short-area quickness to chase down plays along the line and while he does not have a sudden burst, he gives a solid effort chasing from the backside...Strong when locking up ballcarriers working in space...Still a work in progress, but showed later in his senior year and at Senior Bowl practices that he can maintain block separation with his hands (must be more consistent with that hand usage to prevent the block-on over on the rush)...Has a good feel for the cadence and recognizes and diagnoses schemes up front... Will uncoil and wrap the ballcarriers in short-area pursuit...Has a nasty streak which is evident as he moves through trash ...More comfortable in a blue collar role, as he prefers to combat combo blocks rather than work the edge...Needs to develop better pass rush moves, but with his reach he can get a blocker off balance with an efficient rip move... When he does not get too tall in his stance, he is better scraping down the line to give chase vs. the ballcarriers...Has a good concept for taking angles that shorten his path to the quarterback...Needs to work on his timing, but his long arms could be an asset for special teams as a kick blocker.
Negatives: Lacks ideal bulk to play inside at tackle, but his frame might be reaching maximum growth potential (more weight could impact one of his better assets -- his quickness, which is good for a tackle, but adequate for end)...Despite his timed speed, he does not generate explosiveness off the snap (gets most of his tackles from the three-tech) when playing on the edge and is sometimes just a step slow getting to the quarterback when he has to take a wide loop to the ball...Must learn better hand placement and keep them active longer, as he tends to short arm when he should be executing counter moves in attempts to disengage...Has to improve his lower body strength, as he struggles to split double teams...When he gets too high in his stance, his base narrows and along with marginal hand placement, he can get walked back from the play (has outstanding arm reach, but fails to use it consistently)...Best when attacking the backfield rather than flowing to the perimeter, as he does not have the speed to give long pursuit...Prefers working at the line of scrimmage and shooting inside gaps rather that using his closing speed to pursue from the back side coming off the edge...Appears uncomfortable moving through traffic, as he tends to get too high in his stance, causing him to be knocked off-balance...Looks a bit awkward coming out of his stance when playing head-up over the center, as he does not clear his feet properly...Just marginal when trying to deflect the pass at the line of scrimmage, failing to use his long reach to get a piece of the low trajectory throws...More of a bull rusher, as he does not show efficient spin or swim moves and his club move consists of just one shot (fails to reset his hands for counter moves).
Compares To: MICHAEL MYERS-Cincinnati...Like Myers, Jones is a bit of a 'tweener, as he lacks bulk and ideal lower body strength to play inside and is too inconsistent with his pass rush moves to be an impact edge rusher. He is very good at run containment, but you would think a player with his incredibly long arms could get more pass break-ups than he has. He lacks pass rush moves, relying more on a clean release from the outside or squeezing through the gaps to impact the pocket. Still, he has been productive vs. the ground game, and later in the draft he is worth a pick to see if he can develop into a starter at end or tackle. At worst, he will provide decent back-up depth.
Career Notes
Ranks second in school history with 50 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, topped only by Kenny Philpot (74, 1998-2001)...His 50 stops for losses tied John Grace of Marshall (1997-99) for 16th on the Mid-American Conference all-time record list...Registered 19.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage in 2007, the most by an Eagle since Philpot's 24.5 in 2001.
2007 Season
All-American third-team choice by The NFL Draft Report...All-Mid-American Conference first-team selection...Played in all twelve games, starting eleven contests at right defensive tackle, coming off the bench vs. Western Michigan while nursing a leg contusion and knee sprain...Left the Toledo clash with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his knee...Finished tied with Eric Norwood of South Carolina for seventh in the nation with 19.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage, good for losses totaling 67 yards... Recorded 70 tackles (43 solos), third-best on the team, as he added 3.5 sacks for minus 25 yards and ten quarterback pressures...Caused and recovered a fumble...Deflected three passes and blocked a kick.
Second-team All-Mid American Conference selection, despite leading the league and ranking fifth in the nation with 18.5 stops for losses of 71 yards...The team MVP ranked sixth on the squad with 57 tackles...Added four sacks for minus 31 yards and a pair of quarterback pressures...Also caused two fumbles...Started eleven games at right tackle, sitting out the Louisiana-Lafayette contest with a leg contusion...Chosen by the coaching staff for seven single-game awards, as he was named Defensive Player of the Game for the Michigan State, Northwestern and Bowling Green contests...Selected for Championship Performances twice, for the Northwestern and BGSU clashes...Picked for a Winning Performance vs. Toledo and for a Championship Special Teams Award for the Western Michigan game.
Moved into the starting lineup at strong-side defensive tackle, recording 47 tackles (28 solos) with six pressures...Finished second on the team with 6.5 sacks for minus 45 yards and twelve stops for losses of 56 yards...Also registered a safety...Named Defensive Eagle of the Week twice, for the Kent State and Ball State games...Also singled out for Winning Performances vs. Kent State, Northern Illinois and Ball State.
2004 Season
One of six true freshman to letter...Began the season at tight end, starting vs. Eastern Illinois, Western Michigan and Bowling Green...Also saw action on the defensive line midway through the season...Caught four passes for 12 yards (3.0 avg), with a long of 11 yards coming in the Ball State clash...Also recorded a solo tackle.
Injury Report
2006: Did not play vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (9/30) due to a leg contusion.
2007: Did not start the Western Michigan game (10/27) due to a medial collateral ligament knee sprain and re-aggravated the injury, leaving the Toledo clash (11/03) the following week for several series.
Agility Tests
Combine: 4.78 in the 40-yard dash...1.59 10-yard dash...2.73 20-yard dash...4.32 20-yard shuttle...7.93 three-cone drill...25.5-inch vertical jump...10'3" broad jump...Bench pressed 225 pounds 18 times...36 3/8-inch arm length...9 3/8-inch hands.
High School
Attended Latham (Southfield, Mich.) High School, playing football for head coach Mike Avery...Enjoyed an outstanding prep career as a football and basketball player...Named first-team All-Oakland Athletic Association as a senior, recording 27 tackles, six sacks, four forced fumbles and seven interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns...Also caught 25 passes for 395 yards and eight touchdowns as a receiver... The Detroit News named him the 44th-best player on the Blue Chip list in the state of Michigan, as he also added All-Metro North honors...Started as a junior and senior on the school's basketball team...Led the hoops squad to the Class A Regionals in 2003-04 after averaging 24 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and two blocks...Chosen Most Valuable Player in the Motor City Roundball Classic, as he also garnered third-team Class A All-State pick as well as a first-team All-Metro North recognition...As a junior, Jones was selected by the Detroit Free Press as a third-team Class A All-State, first-team All-Metro North and second-team All-Metro pick in basketball...The Southfield Observer & Eccentric named him to their All-Area hoops team and he was also named his squad's Most Valuable Player.
Personal
Engineering major...Brother, Brian, played basketball at the University of Detroit Mercy... Brother, Michael, played football at Alabama State...Son of Gloria and J.D. Jones...Born Jason Duane Jones on 5/23/86...Resides in Southfield, Michigan.
Player Statistics
Draft Scout Player News
05/27/10 - DT Jason Jones (shoulder) might not be ready to practice until training camp.
05/13/10 - DB Jason Jones played in only seven games and spent most of the time nursing an injured left shoulder. Jones finally elected to have surgery and was placed on injured reserve on Dec. 12. "It's coming along real good right now. I'm just back in there rehabbing in the weight room with the whole team, just lifting and getting stronger," Jones said.
When Jones was available and able to play, he was productive, especially in the pass rush. His four sacks were just one behind team co-leaders Tony Brown and Jacob Ford, and he missed more than half the season.
"Anytime you have a guy like Jason Jones not playing, it's definitely a negative, because of his sack ability and his run-stopping ability," safety Chris Hope said. "With him in there, we're obviously a better team than we are without him."
Added defensive end Dave Ball, "He's a big-time difference maker. He's got a lot of different parts to his game that fit this defense very well. He's very explosive."
Jones still has not returned to the Titans' off-season work, but should step up his exercises next week.
"They never really gave me a timetable. I'll get out there next week with my trainer and start working on the bags and stuff like that," he said. "We'll see. There's not a timetable. I want to be ready by the end of this, but if not, I'll be ready by camp."
And while there were a few whispers about the timing of Jones' surgery, electing to do so before the season ended, he said he knows he made the right decision.
"It was very hard, just not going out there with my teammates, not going through the same preparation with them, and just the injury I had going just through it, it was painful for me not to go out there every Sunday," Jones said. "It was painful for me, even though I had to make that decision with my family and my agent (Mike McCartney), and I came to the decision that it was the best one for me."
It helped, he said, that defensive line coach Jim Washburn told him to do whatever he felt he needed
05/06/10 - DT Jason Jones (shoulder) is still not participating in OTAs.
12/13/09 - DT Jason Jones underwent shoulder surgery on Wednesday and was placed on injured reserve Saturday.
12/10/09 - DT Jason Jones underwent shoulder surgery on Wednesday and likely will be placed on injured reserve in the coming days.
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