SI All-American Candidate Jai Jones Highlights and Evaluation
Prospect: LB Jai Jones
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 5-foot-10, 230 pounds
School: Dallas (Texas) South Oak Cliff
Committed to: Boise State
Projected Position: Inside Linebacker
Frame: Short and packed with muscle. Broad shoulders, wide chest and long arms. Thick, solid thighs and calves. Impressive trunk. Could add weight, but the emphasis will be lean quick-twitch muscle.
Athleticism: Outstanding play strength. Powerful. Quick, active feet in short areas. Not especially agile in space; relatively tight hips and ankles. Average speed in the open field, but closes to ball in a hurry. Ball skills largely unknown.
Instincts: Thumper. Extremely physical. Relishes meeting lineman in the hole, regularly winning with force. Plays with consistently-low base, most notably as pass-rusher. Rarely asked to drop in coverage.
Polish: Assignment-sound. Already capable of plugging gaps in the run game. Offers powerful punch to the inside of shoulder pads. Needs development and experience in coverage and as blitzer.
Bottom Line: Jones is an absolute rock of a linebacker, with rare strength and ready-made power. Potential and versatility is limited by a lack of mobility, but he’s well-suited to take on linemen and attack downhill from the middle of Boise State’s multi-front defense. Surefire contributor in sub packages, and potential multi-year starter.