MSU Football: NFL Expert Jim Mora Jr. Breaks Down Naquan Jones' Pro-Potential
EAST LANSING – There have been 85 NFL drafts in league history.
Michigan State has had at least one player taken in the draft for 80 consecutive years.
It's the third-longest streak in the nation, trailing only Michigan (82) and USC (82).
Naquan Jones, one of three Spartan pro prospects, hopes to continue the streak following his senior season.
"To my teammates – I love y'all boys. And like the Spartan Dawgs say, "Spartans Will"! Thank you guys for pushing me every day to not only become a better teammate but a better person," Jones said after declaring for the draft. "I know each of you will excel and be great. You are my brothers for LIFE (especially (AWOL).
"To Spartan Nation – the best fans in the country. Thank you for always sticking with us. These past few years haven't always been pretty, but I appreciate the continual support you have shown for our team."
The four-year letterwinner had 78 career tackles, including 12.5 for a loss, three sacks, three pass break-ups, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and five starts (one in 2019, four in 2020) in 46 games.
At 6-foot-4 and 340-pounds, Jones is surprisingly athletic and brings tons of upside at the next level. Today, Spartan Nation brought in college football analyst Jim Mora Jr. to help evaluate Jones' pro-potential and draft stock.
He's not the most effective pass-rusher, but according to Mora Jr., that's not going to be his strength.
"People are going to love his size; they are going to see tons of potential for him to play multiple positions … he's got a ton of length, he's got long arms, so he can keep people off of him," Mora Jr. said. "He plays with heavy hands … his niche is going to be on first and second down; (he'll) come in and stuff the run and push the pocket. I like him a lot."
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