Fast-legged Jones
By BOB HOLT
Published: Monday, February 28, 2005 PRINT E-MAIL
INDIANAPOLIS - No quarterback ever ran faster at the NFL Scouting Combine than Matt Jones did on Sunday.
Jones, the former Arkansas star, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.40 seconds. That was the official electronic time released by the NFL, but some scouts said they hand-timed Jones at an even faster time.
The two 40s Jones ran were shown on the NFL Network and had unofficial times of 4.43 and 4.37. "Matt Jones set the world record," said Gil Brandt, a Combine administrator who was vice president of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys from 1960-1989. "We've been having the NFL Combine for 20 years, and Jones is the fastest quarterback we've ever had."
Brandt said Don McPherson, who played at Syracuse, had run the fastest previous 40 time by a quarterback. "I don't remember exactly what time McPherson ran," Brandt said. "But I know it wasn't as fast as Jones."
Jones' 40 time figures to send his NFL Draft stock soaring. "He made himself a lot of money today," one scout said. "He might have moved up into the first round."
Jerry Jones, owner and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys, didn't want to speculate where Matt Jones may be drafted, but said he helped himself immensely with his performance at the Combine. "Well, by golly, I tell you what, we might find a place for him," Jerry Jones said with a big grin when asked if he'd like to see Matt Jones playing in Dallas. "No one in Arkansas has to doubt whether or not it would be a good feeling for me to see him in a Cowboys uniform."
Jerry Jones, who played guard for the Razorbacks and was a senior on their 1964 11-0 team, is a major booster of the program and attends as many Arkansas games as possible. "I've watched Matt play his entire career and I watched him use that speed, and so it would have surprised me had it not been there [on Sunday]," Jerry Jones said. "But it's good to see it confirmed. I'd never seen a stop watch on him."
Matt Jones, 6-6 and 242 pounds, ran his two 40-yard dashes wearing a white headband, white shorts and white T-shirt. "What was impressive was how fast he ran those initial 10 and 20 yards, the explosiveness he showed," Jerry Jones said. "I didn't get the exact [interval] times, but I know he was one of the fastest off the line. It took him maybe two steps to get that first 10 [yards]."
Matt Jones' 4.40 was the fourth-fastest official 40 time run at the Combine including all players, surpassed only by three wide receivers - Jerome Mathis (4.32), Courtney Roby (4.36) and Troy Williamson (4.38).
On Friday while meeting with media at the Combine, Jones said he ran a hand-held time of 4.41 three weeks ago while training at the Parisi Speed School in Fair Lawn, N. J., and that he hoped to run 4.5 or better with the electronic timing at the Combine.
While other players train in cities such as Miami, Phoenix and New Orleans to prepare for the NFL Draft, Jones said New Jersey worked well for him. "It's cold up there, but a change of scenery is probably good for me for working out," he said. "You're there to work, you're not there to have fun."
Roy Wittke, Arkansas' quarterbacks coach, said before the Combine that he wouldn't be surprised no matter how fast Jones ran the 40. "They broke the mold when they made Matt," Wittke said. "Whatever he does shouldn't be a surprise, and that's what the NFL people are going to learn about him."
Jerry Jones said that he and Cowboys Coach Bill Parcells nicknamed Matt Jones "Jim Thorpe" on Sunday after watching him work out.
Jim Thorpe won the decathlon at the 1912 Olympics, played Major League baseball and professional football and is regarded as one of the greatest athletes of the 20 th century. "We're talking about Jim Thorpe," Jones called out when Parcells walked by. "That's because of Matt's versatility and how athletic he is."
The Jim Thorpe Award is presented annually to the top defensive back in college football, but Jones' pro future figures to be on offense.
But where on offense continues to be the big question. Would Jones be best at quarterback, where he played at Arkansas? Wide receiver, where he played in the Senior Bowl? Tight end? H-back? "I would say wide receiver if I had to pick a position, because you look at the size, you look at the speed," said Atlanta Falcons receivers coach George Stewart, who was an All-Southwest Conference offensive lineman at Arkansas. "But wherever you put him on the football field, he's going to do things for you.
" Any time you've got a guy that can run a 4.4, it's going to help you somewhere, because he's got true speed. "
Jones has said repeatedly that he'll play any position where an NFL team wants him, that his goal is to be drafted and get on the field.
" I'm just guessing, but I'm guessing that wherever he plays, he's going to want to be the next quarterback, "Tennessee Titans General Manager Floyd Reese said of Jones." If you've three [quarterbacks], he wants to be four. If you've got five, he wants to be six, so that he can at least continue to work his way through. "
Stewart said that Jones looked good throwing the ball during the quarterback drills, and another scout agreed. Jones also ran some routes as a wide receiver.
" He's such an unusual athlete that I think he's got potential in a lot of areas, "St. Louis Rams Coach Mike Martz said." Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. "
Reese said that during the Titans' interview session with Jones at the Combine, he talked to Jones about switching to receiver.
" You ask, can he be a wide receiver now that he's got things he's got to learn? "Reese said." One question we posed to him was, 'How far behind do you feel like you are from the other receivers?' And he doesn't feel like he's really far behind. "We asked, 'What if you have to play tight end?' He said, ' Fine, whatever. Draft me first, then do what you want. '"
Reese said he enjoyed talking with Jones and didn't find him to be too laid back. "He's blessed with tremendous abilities, and I think he's been able to do some things other people can't do without straining," Reese said. "But I think he's very excited about the NFL and is very willing and able to play wherever he can."
Jerry Jones said that where Matt Jones plays is "is going to be the big debate as clubs continue to look at him" and didn't rule out the possibility of quarterback. "It's not impossible," Jerry Jones said. "Certainly when you look at some of the things we're doing and clubs are doing, you don't have to be the prototype dropback passer to move the ball in the NFL today, especially as you get near the red zone."
Jerry Jones added that it was clear the work Matt Jones put in to get ready for the Combine. "Most every ambitious individual that comes into the NFL is aware and falls into the stepped up work ethic, the year-around commitment that is required," Jerry Jones said. "I don't care what kind of athlete you are or what kind of speed you've got.
" The players do it because of the rewards that are there, and Matt's got every ability and does grasp that. Sure you're going to work more [in the NFL] than you did in college, because now it's a full-time job. "
Matt Jones said he had no problems with the team interviews at the Combine and enjoyed getting to know the various NFL general managers, coaches and scouts.
" You can either talk or you can't, right? "Jones said." I can talk to somebody. There's no problem with that. "
Jones also had no problem performing on center stage at the Combine when it came time to turn in a fast 40. Having the eyes of so many in the NFL on him Sunday didn't cause him to feel additional pressure.
" They're on you before this, "Jones said on Friday of the intense NFL scrutiny." They're the ones that invited you here, they want to see what you've got. "I think you'd feel more pressure if you didn't get invited and you were at home and wondering what to do."
