Patriots' Jonathan Jones Dishes Eye-Opening Take on Rookie Minicamp

The New England Patriots corner sounded off on the pre-season process.

Jul 27, 2023; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones (31) speaks to the / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

It's a difficult road in getting to the NFL. Between the countless hours put into grinding at the weight room, spending time at the practice facility, and producing in-game, it's hard to quantify the amount of work and effort put in to earn the opportunity to navigate into the league.

Even after getting drafted, the grind doesn't stop for rookies looking to find their place in the NFL. Around a month after being picked, first-year players are then tasked with going to rookie minicamp, where teams will get a first look into their newly selected players on the practice field.

Some might expect for the camp to be a great basis in gauging these new rookie's physical skillset and ability, but New England Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones sees a different approach.

While on The Get Back podcast, the Patriots' undrafted free agent in 2016 unveiled some of what he experienced during his time at rookie minicamp, describing while the camp may surround football, that's not the true purpose:

"Rookie minicamp, they're trying to kill you," Jones said. "It has nothing to with football. A lot of the young guys don't realize that. They're like, 'well, I've been backpeddling...' [Teams] don't care. They have enough film on you. That's not what you're in rookie minicamp for. That'll test your mentality. They kill you, and you come back. Like, how do you respond to that adversity? Because they have to decide in the spring and in training camp: what type of player are you going to be in January and in the playoffs? If I bring you along for this journey, what type of player are you when some adversity comes, and how do you respond?... They're trying to kill you, and I was prepared for that."

Rather than being a test for what these rookies can provide on the field, their resilience and mental side of this looks to be the main focus. It's an experience Jones lived through first-hand after having to fight for his spot on New England's 53-man eight seasons ago, and it's led to becoming a two-time Super Bowl champion, along with generating some staying power on the roster years later.

Most, if not all, rookies are entering the NFL ambitious and ready to make a name for themselves, but only a few have the mentality to reach their true ceiling. Minicamps act as a trial for coaches and staff to see how their new guys react to a grueling and tiring process, scoping out who can keep their heads up in the toughest moments. It may not be the most glamorous part of the NFL season, but rookie camps can make, or even break a young player's career.

Keep a lookout for the beginning of the Patriots' rookie minicamp getting underway very soon, kicking off on Saturday, May 11th.