Patriots Select Marcus Jones (CB) at #85

Anyhow, this is from the Athlon draft guide:

Jones is a true four-down contributor with his ability to cover the slot and his impact as arguably the most dangerous return specialist to enter the league since
Devin Hester
.
If he's a four-down contributor, then he's not a return specialist.
 
Thornton has ties to the Pats and it turns out that Marcus Jones also has ties. Let's count the ways. David Rowe. Rutgers. McCourty. Steve Belichick. Saban. Alabama.

The Patriots addressed two holes with one selection by drafting the electric Jones, the 2021 Paul Hornung Award Winner.
For those unfamiliar with the Paul Hornung Award, it’s given to college football’s most versatile player as someone who played multiple roles on offense, defense, and special teams.

New England’s third-round pick had 47 tackles, five interceptions, four return touchdowns, and 113 yards and another score on 12 offensive touches in his last season for the Cougars.
Jones was an AP First-Team All-American defensive back and the AAC’s Special Teams Player of the Year. However, his versatility and ability to fill multiple roles isn’t the only thing that made Jones a perfect Patriot.

In an interview with CLNS Media, University of Houston defensive backs coach David Rowe connected the dots to the six degrees of separation that led Jones to New England.
“I know Bill [Belichick] has drafted Rutgers guys in the past. I played with Devin McCourty, Duron Harmon, and Logan Ryan. I actually played with Steve Belichick. We graduated together. He [Marcus Jones] fits that mold perfectly,” Rowe told CLNS Media.

“[Marcus Jones] is the same type of person as those guys. Hard workers, smart football players, very competitive on the field, and don’t have to worry about issues off the field.”
Rowe was a three-year starter at defensive back for the Scarlet Knights in the same secondary as several current and former Patriots players during his playing career.

But the Patriots connections to the Houston program don’t stop there. New England’s southwest area scout, Alex Brooks, who received praise from Director of Player Personnel Matt Groh after the team selected Jones and Baylor wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, is a close friend of Rowe’s.
“We’re neighbors, so we live in the same apartment complex,” Rowe said of Brooks. “He’s been hounding me all year about Marcus, and he finally got it done.”

If that’s not enough for the Patriots to draft Jones, here’s one more key element.
Houston’s associate head coach and defensive coordinator, Doug Belk, is a former graduate assistant and cornerbacks coach on, you guessed it, Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama.
Belk was in Tuscaloosa working for Saban from 2014 to 2016, making a quick two-year stop at West Virginia before following head coach Dana Holgorsen to the Cougars.
With Belk’s background in Saban’s system at Alabama, Houston is running a coverage system that majors in similar schemes as the Crimson Tide, which carries over to New England.

 
What's really encouraging is how highly rated he is as a man cover corner. Initially wasn't a fan of a future DBack also returning. Don't care about that. But hopefully he becomes a CB2 and doesn't need to return anymore.
 

Jones received numerous awards in his two seasons at Houston, capped off by being a consensus All-American as a senior and winning the Paul Hornung award as the most versatile player in college football. It was enough to entice the Patriots to select Jones in third round of the NFL Draft.
With noticeable needs at cornerback and returner, it's easy to see how Jones might fit in in New England.
"I think the first day he walks on the field he is a Top-10 returner in the league," said Holgorsen. "Return TDs are down in the NFL across the league but he has a chance to make a huge difference. As a defensive back, he is the best man to man cover guy I have coached as a head coach. He sticks to people like fly paper. It would not shock me to see him starting or being the first sub in during nickel."
 
That sound you hear is the blood rushing to @Hawg73's midsection.


View: https://twitter.com/Ryan_Spags/status/1559555667219955714


I've been seeing the reports and am excited, because, as I've stated multiple times, I think this kid is going to be an excellent pro.

I don't know much about Cornerback play, but I kept seeing this kid, who doesn't have ideal height, defending passes with excellent closing
burst and the ability to challenge bigger guys with good vertical. Hell, the kid moves explosively in any direction he needs to and he's a much better hitter than
he's given credit for. He can light guys up and has a knack for landing a clean blow with his shoulder. He's a classic short, but not small guy. He is one
tough dude, but seems to always be in control.

Besides the return skills, most every Draft person had him pigeonholed as strictly a slot guy and we already have a solid one in Jon Jones, but this kid makes plays on taller guys all the time and
I wasn't convinced that he couldn't play boundary corner. I think I've said a lot of things about him, but I feel strongly that he is going to be
a draft steal and a very popular guy with the fans once more of them see his ability to make big plays in a variety of ways.

I can't wait to get a look at him in our unis, something I haven't yet seen. Everything I said about him is based on watching youtube film clips which show him
making play after play that not many people can. He's an elite athlete even by NFL standards and if he was two inches taller would have been a sure 1st-rounder.

I expect Friday night we'll probably get a look at him and it'd be nice if he did something that gets everybody fired up, but even if it doesn't work out that way it's just a matter
of time for Marcus. He was maybe my favorite guy in the Draft and I couldn't believe that we ended up with him.
 
He is the subject of this week's Next Pats podcast with Phil Perry. Absolutely worth a listen.

Thank you for mentioning this. I just listened and Doug Belk, a former Coach at 'Bama and assistant HC for Houston was a fascinating listen, who went into
great detail on Marcus as a player and a person and he's the guy that would know him best.

Here's the link for those that are interested in listening as well and I'll mention that they run a bunch of highlight clips to illustrate some of the points Belk makes.

As obvious as his physical traits are, Belk thinks that Marcus' intelligence is way up there, which should help him make the jump to the Show.

Enjoy.


View: https://youtu.be/ANiaIPDbXh0
 
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