Finding Broncos: Braxton Jones | OT | Southern Utah
Measurements
- Height: 6-foot-5
- Weight: 310 pounds
- Arms: 35-3/8 inches
- Hands: 10-1/4 inches
Combine Results
- 40-Yard Dash: 4.97 seconds
- Vertical Jump: 25.5 inches
- Broad Jump: 108 inches
- 20 Yard Shuttle: 4.84
Pros
- Has all the tools and traits you want to work with as he has good size and length.
- Quick out of his stance off the snap, has good timing on his kick-slides, and gets good depth.
- Stays square to his defender and doesn't get turned around often.
- Has strong hands, and his outside hand is hard to beat.
- Has good quickness with his hands and good grip strength to latch on.
- Has a good foundation in footwork in pass sets and as a blocker.
- Lateral movement skills are solid, though not great.
- Keeps working to secure blocks and doesn't settle.
- Likes to finish his blocks and works to do so.
- Needs to improve his base to help his balance but does a good job of staying on his feet and fighting.
- Keeps his hands inside the frame.
- Has the potential to start at either tackle spot or be the swing tackle.
Cons
- Needs to be more consistent with his hand placement, especially in the run game, to help generate more leverage.
- Acceleration when climbing is lacking, and he needs to improve his timing to landmarks.
- Has to improve his bend and pad level.
- Could do with getting stronger in the lower half to help generate more power straight up.
- Initial punch needs to be sped up.
- Has a bad habit of lunging or reaching for blocks.
- His base has to be more consistent as it puts him in an off-balance position easily.
- Has to do a better job of protecting the inside as he has multiple games getting dominated through the inside pathway.
- Has to improve his bend also to help improve his anchor.
- Might be limited to an outside zone scheme with his issues generating driving power.
- Lacks the ability to move inside, so versatility overall is lacking.
Overview
Braxton Jones had an impressive Senior Bowl where he showed off his movement skills but continued to show issues with pad level and power. It may have cemented him as an outside zone tackle only in the NFL, which still brings plenty of value to many teams. Despite the scheme and position limitation, he can play either side.
There are areas of technical refinement Jones needs but he tested well at the Combine, though he wasn't great by any means. He comes with a lot of experience at left tackle, with over 1,500 snaps there over the last three years. He also garnered some reps to start his career on the right side. His overall experience was consistent, allowing only four career sacks with 23 total pressures on over 1,600 total snaps.
Despite the technical lapses that need to be cleaned up, Jones can start day one in the right scheme, which will boost his value. Teams will have to be careful to coach out the bad habits to avoid cementing them in his muscle memory. Ideally, he gets a year to develop and improve those technical issues and get a little stronger before he steps into a starting job.
Fit with Broncos
Jones is an excellent fit for the Denver Broncos with the new Nathaniel Hackett scheme and the team's personnel. Hackett is bringing the outside zone scheme with him, which is the system Jones needs in order to thrive at the NFL level. It would give Denver a player to develop that wouldn't be forced to start immediately.
The Broncos signed free agents Tom Compton and Billy Turner and re-signed Calvin Anderson to compete for the right tackle job. Adding Jones would give Denver another piece for the competition to see how he does but he would have to be forced to start out of necessity.
There is also the focus, as has been repeated, from the coaching staff on teaching, and Jones needs a lot of tutelage. He has the tools and traits to work with, but the technique must be improved and cleaned up, which would be a test for the coaching staff.
While pick 64 may be a slight reach for Jones, it may need to be where the Broncos take him, or else GM George Paton would have to be willing to move up in the third round if he really wanted him.
Grade: MidRound 2
Where he Goes: Late Round 2/Mid Round 3
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