Why was Byron Jones rated so low before the combine?

[Idgit]

Yeah that confused me too. IMO, they only guy they have misjudged thus far is Claiborne and IMO, Claiborne confidence and injuries are more so what has been holding him back.

I'm amazed how even in 2015 we can still knock this front office's scouting. Mike Jenkins was a solid pick. Late 1st rounder....made a Pro Bowl.

The fact that he played for our former DC means you can just throw out any notion that we don't have good info on him as a player. It's obviously not the case. Now, he might bust in the NFL, but it won't be because we had insufficient background on him and went off of combine data instead, as evidenced by a player moving up some list generated for consumption by Joe Q Draftexpert.

 

[BoysfanfromCanada]

We lucked out in getting a top 5 or 10 talent in the 2nd round. So whatever, Gregory can be considered our first round pick if it makes people feel better, and Jones our 2nd round pick (he would never have made it to 60, he was getting linked to teams as low as 20). Good thing is we didn't trade up to get him, and a late 20s first rounder isn't expected to be a superstar. If he's a solid contributor, and guys like Chaz Green and Gregory do whats needed to start, this will have been a successful draft regardless.

The problem with Claiborne was trading up and losing a 2nd rounder to get him. That and only Tyrone Crawford became a solid contributer in that whole draft class. If this draft has atleast 2 or 3 starters from it, then it'll be a success no matter how Jones does

 

[Pessimist_cowboy]

This article was written in February:
http://www.theuconnblog.com/2015/2/...combine-nfl-draft-profile-2015-uconn-football



Does this concern anyone? His combine numbers jumped him from a late round CB to a 1st rounder. From what I have seen in his limited youtube video clips, he didn't seem that impressive to me. There are some choice quotes from that article.

Yes it's concerning . Very skeptical about this player. I have much higher expectations for Gregory. Won't be surprised if Jones is a bust.

 

[rpntex]

Should make it easier to stand out. Lower competition. Easier to dominate. This day in age it Doesn't matter where you go to school. If you're good enough, the coaches/school will get the word out. Nobody gets overlooked. A bunch of scouts get paid to find these guys.

Not always. The national draft media is as xwalker says, a far different animal than the scouts at work for the teams. They both do basically the same jobs, but they are in different areas of focus. Teams have scouts specifically dedicated to small schools, whereas the media rarely sees anything outside of the bigger, "power" conferences. Take a look at the earliest mocks that come out and you won't see much relating to smaller schools. Then check again afterthe combine, and you'll see several guys who weren't in there before the combine.

 

[perrykemp]

Mike Jenkins was a solid pick. Late 1st rounder....made a Pro Bowl.

Jenkins wasn't a bust but he was a disappointment.

In 2008 he was the 3rd / 4th corner. Fairly non-descript season.
In 2009 he played well and was selected as an alternate to the probowl
In 2010 he was was one of the worst CBs in the NFL and by the end of the season had lost all confidence and was routinely ridiculed here on CZ
In 2011 he was basically done -- they tried to find a spot for him somewhere on the defense and bounced between CB, FS, but ultimately mercifully got hurt and went on IR.

That was it for Mike Jenkins. One good year -- 2009. In general he was a disappointment and the Cowboys made no attempt to resign him when his 1st contract was up.

 

[Idgit]

Jenkins wasn't a bust but he was a disappointment.

In 2008 he was the 3rd / 4th corner. Fairly non-descript season.
In 2009 he played well and was selected as an alternate to the probowl
In 2010 he was was one of the worst CBs in the NFL and by the end of the season had lost all confidence and was routinely ridiculed here on CZ
In 2011 he was basically done -- they tried to find a spot for him somewhere on the defense and bounced between CB, FS, but ultimately mercifully got hurt and went on IR.

That was it for Mike Jenkins. One good year -- 2009. In general he was a disappointment and the Cowboys made no attempt to resign him when his 1st contract was up.

Wait, 2011 as the year then where he played hurt all season and was irritated that the club didn't appreciate it? Or was that 2010, and then he rehabbed on his own going into 2011 because he was going to be a free agent, anyway and he was irritated that we'd drafted Claiborne. Either way, he went on to OAK for a year and then two more in Tampa. That's a decent career, overall. He's a guy we never had much faith in for whatever reason, but he was an ok player.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Jenkins wasn't a bust but he was a disappointment.

In 2008 he was the 3rd / 4th corner. Fairly non-descript season.
In 2009 he played well and was selected as an alternate to the probowl
In 2010 he was was one of the worst CBs in the NFL and by the end of the season had lost all confidence and was routinely ridiculed here on CZ
In 2011 he was basically done -- they tried to find a spot for him somewhere on the defense and bounced between CB, FS, but ultimately mercifully got hurt and went on IR.

That was it for Mike Jenkins. One good year -- 2009. In general he was a disappointment and the Cowboys made no attempt to resign him when his 1st contract was up.

He was a late 1st round pick though. He had a up and down stay here but he wasn't a bad corner. He became a "bust" after he showed he can play in this league and he did. He was our best corner in that 2010 year though Newman was the one guarding #1's.

 

[perrykemp]

He was our best corner in that 2010 year though Newman was the one guarding #1's.

I think you are thinking of 2009 when he was a pro-bowl alternate.

In 2010 he ranked, according to PFF (yes I know...), as one of the worst CBs in the entire NFL and by was a basket case by the time of the Packer game where he famously made a business decision to tackle James Jones as he strolled into the end zone.

That game seemed like the beginning of the end for fans, the coaching staff, and the front-office thinking Jenkins had a real future in Dallas.

 

[Galian Beast]

I think you are thinking of 2009 when he was a pro-bowl alternate.

In 2010 he ranked, according to PFF (yes I know...), as one of the worst CBs in the entire NFL and by was a basket case by the time of the Packer game where he famously made a business decision to tackle James Jones as he strolled into the end zone.

That game seemed like the beginning of the end for fans, the coaching staff, and the front-office thinking Jenkins had a real future in Dallas.

It wasn't just the busineses decision, he started getting called for defensive pass interference and holding, and then he couldnt cover without doing it. When he didn't he would get burnt.

 

[CATCH17]

Yes it's concerning . Very skeptical about this player. I have much higher expectations for Gregory. Won't be surprised if Jones is a bust.

I think he's too smart and athletic to bust.

At worst he'll be solid.

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

My thing is Newman was disappointing as 5 overall. Jenkins busted, carr sucks, claireborne was epic and obviously a mistake the second it happened and anyone with a brain knew it.

Doesn't it feel like in a few years we'll be like oh yea Byron jones went Just before some pro bowler :\

Who else did we like did Thebes score the board yet I bet we could've taken shane ray and Gregory :J

 

[DFWJC]

Word is he lacks instincts. So, we have an athletic freak who lacks instincts. Think AOA, Jason Williams. Both athletic freaks who lacked football instincts.

Now, I'm not sure he is as inept as those two based on what I've seen, (which admittedly is very little) but I've said many times that the Byron Jones pick is the one that I'm most concerned with.

You making the call that he's a massive bust?

 

[YosemiteSam]

You making the call that he's a massive bust?

No. I don't know enough about him to make such a call. When people question his instincts, that does raise an eyebrow though.

 

[DFWJC]

I like his odds actually.
He's only p

No. I don't know enough about him to make such a call. When people question his instincts, that does raise an eyebrow though.

Played corner for just over a year. He used to be a safety.
Also,he played hurt much of last season.
This gives him at least some help on the tape vs measurable thing.
He has a lot of learning to doubt supposedly takes to it quickly.

The CB camp he went to after the combine was a boost. The NFL level coaches there said he was really taking off.

 

[BAT]

I think he's too smart and athletic to bust.

At worst he'll be solid.

Problem is that Jones has NEVER played to his combine metrics. He is a smart, hard working with versatility but his past on field performances have never indicated first round talent. It was his performance in the combines entirely that elevated him from top 30 (bottom rung) to top 5 corner. This is why I dislike the combines so much, it always confuses the importance between athleticism and football production.

 

[CATCH17]

Problem is that Jones has NEVER played to his combine metrics. He is a smart, hard working with versatility but his past on field performances have never indicated first round talent. It was his performance in the combines entirely that elevated him from top 30 (bottom rung) to top 5 corner. This is why I dislike the combines so much, it always confuses the importance between athleticism and football production.

Hey, part of the draft is projecting upside.

We did it with D. Ware and look how it turned out.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

Problem is that Jones has NEVER played to his combine metrics. He is a smart, hard working with versatility but his past on field performances have never indicated first round talent. It was his performance in the combines entirely that elevated him from top 30 (bottom rung) to top 5 corner. This is why I dislike the combines so much, it always confuses the importance between athleticism and football production.

Like for the sig.

 

[JBell]

Problem is that Jones has NEVER played to his combine metrics. He is a smart, hard working with versatility but his past on field performances have never indicated first round talent. It was his performance in the combines entirely that elevated him from top 30 (bottom rung) to top 5 corner. This is why I dislike the combines so much, it always confuses the importance between athleticism and football production.

There were reports in December that NFL executives loved him.

Mel Kiper had him in his top 10 in October.

Like mentioned, some members of the mainstream media had him around the "top 30", not NFL front offices.

 

[CyberB0b]

Mel Kiper had him in his top 10 in October..

Got a link?

 

[JBell]

Got a link?

http://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/2jcqol/mel_kipers_top_10_nfl_prospects_by_position/