Ravens Add Depth to Defensive Line In Third Round

Travis Jones is another value pick

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens added depth to the defensive line by selecting Connecticut tackle Travis Jones in the third round of the NFL draft.

Jones, 6-foot-4, 325 pounds, could boost the Ravens' interior pass-rushing performance. 

Jones was a three-star offensive guard recruit from Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, Conn., and had plenty of Northeast schools to choose from — Rutgers, Boston College and Temple — before landing on his in-state Huskies. 

"He’s a bigger guy," GM Eric DeCosta said. "When you guys see him, he’s going to kind of harken back to some of the guys we’ve had come through here, some of the big guys we’ve had. He’s a legit 335-pound guy – carries his weight very well. And saying that, he’s got unusual quickness for his size. There’s a lot of development that can take place and will take place with our coaches. I should say that [assistant head coach / defensive line] Anthony Weaver really, really sees the potential with this guy. 

"And for someone like me, who’s trying to kind of synthesize all the information, when you get a coach that just really, really stands on the table for a guy, it’s a very valuable thing, and I’m excited for Anthony to coach this guy. I think this is going to be a really good marriage.”

Jones tallied 47 tackles (16 solo) and a career-high 4.5 sacks in 11 games in 2020. 

Despite playing on an ineffective defense for much of his collegiate career, a team that went 4-32 in his three seasons, it didn't stop Jones’ stock from continuously rising through the draft process.

“For me, I feel like the first thing I do is stop the run first, and I have the ability to get to the quarterback," Jones said. "So, I feel like I’m pretty versatile. I play from the nose out to a five [-technique], I feel like.”

Measuring at 6-foot-4 and 325 pounds at the combine with a 34.25-inch arm length, Jones is in the 83rd percentile or better for defensive tackles in all three categories. He also matched that size with impressive speed and agility at the combine, placing in the 88th percentile of defensive tackles in the 40-yard dash (4.92 seconds) and the 80th percentile in his 3-cone drill (7.33 seconds).

Jones is brilliant with his hands and is fully aware of how to use his arm length to his advantage, quick to lock out blockers. His weight is well-distributed throughout his body, equipping him with the ability to plant his feet and hold the point with his lower body while controlling the block with his upper body. 

He also graded out as the best run-pass combo defensive tackle in this class with a run defense grade of 86.8 and a pass-rush grade of 86.1, with no other top potential draftee grading above 82 in both categories.

— Jake Pace of Jets Country contributed to this article.