Travis Jones, Connecticut DT | NFL draft scouting report

The soccer journey can often be defined by transition and transformation. University of Connecticut DT Travis Jones transitioned to the job and transformed his body on his way to 2022. nfl draft. The result? A promising and powerful defensive lineman who has the potential to be a Day 2 pick next April. As his scouting report reveals, there’s more than just power and promise behind Jones’ offer to have his name heard in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Travis Jones NFL Draft Profile

  • Position: defensive tackle
  • College: Connecticut
  • current year: fourth year junior
  • Height: 6’4″
  • Weight: 333 pounds

Travis Jones scouting report

While Connecticut doesn’t have a long and rich history of bringing top talent to the NFL, they have had two first-round picks since 2009. Also, since 2005, they’ve had 12 picks in the first two days of the annual NFL event. selection event. Can defensive tackle Jones follow in the footsteps of Connecticut draftees in the first three rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft?

Simple answer? Yes, yes you can. Jones’ scouting report reveals a player who could be a top 100 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. The Connecticut defensive tackle is a dangerous monster in the heart of the line who should bring disruptive ability to the level of the NFL. While he may not be an immediate starter, he has potential at the starter level.

Starting Jones’s scouting report anywhere other than his size would be tantamount to negligence. At 6’4″ and 333 pounds, he’s a big man. Unsurprisingly, he uses this size to plug holes in the ground game exceptionally well. In addition to his obvious size, Jones has excellent length for the job.

Being huge without strength is meaningless when it comes to dominating from your position. Here Jones shows excellent skill in his scouting report. The Connecticut defensive tackle has incredible lower-body strength, which allows him to anchor and root himself in place. It’s rare to see him step back on contact, and he routinely uses leg momentum to drive the pocket toward the quarterback.

A strong and technical player who shows intelligence and leadership.

Jones’ strength is also evident in his technical approach to the game. He packs an incredibly powerful punch that allows him to surprise offensive linemen at the point of attack. There are multiple examples in the movie of him returning an offensive lineman with a powerful and well-timed punch. He can strike, spread, and manipulate his opponent impressively and with unerring regularity.

However, the Connecticut defensive tackle doesn’t just win on power alone. He has shown impressively fast hand speed to easily disengage from blockers. He can use that speed and length to get through double teams and make a play on the ball carrier.

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In addition, it shows intelligence and awareness to locate corridors in the middle of traffic. He does his best work against the running game, routinely finding a way to bring down the ball carrier at or behind the line of scrimmage. As a tackler, he uses his upper body strength to stop forward progression and can be seen knocking his man to the ground.

Jones also creates opportunities for his teammates by regularly drawing double teams (and sometimes triple teams). However, he is able to defeat them to wreak havoc himself. He’s a physical threat who brings an element of versatility with the ability to play anywhere from nose tackle to 3-tech at the next level. In addition to his profile on the field, the Connecticut defensive tackle also possesses great character as a member of the program’s leadership council.

Areas to improve

While Jones has a chance to cement himself as a Day 2 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft with a strong showing in the Senior Bowl, there are some areas for improvement in his scouting report. In fact, some limiting factors could affect his ceiling at the NFL level.

Right now, Jones is a much better run defender than he is a pass-rusher. Although he posted 4.5 sacks this season, he doesn’t get to quarterback regularly. This is the result of a lack of explosion. While Jones has good lateral athleticism and speed for his size, he doesn’t outrun linemen with his first step.

Plus, he doesn’t own much in terms of a quick pass plan. Jones has a powerful draw run in his arsenal, and he shows the ability to win with a sprint against less athletic tackles. However, to be considered a three-down threat at the NFL level, he needs to develop more passing moves (and the ability to combine them as fast breaks).

Although he shows the ability to play with a low pad level, Jones needs to make sure this is more consistent. In several cases during the games studied, playing too high meant you couldn’t win the battle at the point of attack. The short man wins in the trenches, and the Connecticut defensive tackle needs to make sure he maintains that focus.

Jones Player Profile

The coaching staff at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, Connecticut knew they were in the presence of someone special. A soft-spoken young man, Jones’ gigantic exterior belied the character within. On the field, however, the 6’4″, 350-pound two-way player allowed his football to speak for itself.

A unique athlete, Jones could propel that bulky mass across 40 yards of field in a ridiculous 5.0 seconds. He could play the game with incredible foot speed and strong hands, maintaining an advantage over opponents with a size that many projected as a next-level offensive tackle.

He played guard and defensive line for Wilbur Cross. As a junior, he anchored an offensive line that tallied just under 3,000 yards while averaging 5.3 yards per carry on the ground. On the defensive side of the ball, he had 45 tackles and 1 sack. Between his ability to block, protect, and destroy games, he earned All-Area and All-State honors.

Jones attracts multiple Power Five offers

Although Connecticut is not a recruiting hotbed for football players, Jones attracted college attention from the Power Five programs. Boston College, Syracuse and Rutgers offered the three-star shooting guard ranked 92nd. The powerful attacking midfielder became engaged to Rutgers in June 2017, but called off his engagement in the space of a day.

“I decided too quickly,” Jones told 247 Sports. “I want to take a step back and make sure I explore all my options and make the right decision.” However, a month later, he was committed to Connecticut.

During his final season, Jones further demonstrated his power on the defensive line. He added 61 tackles and 7 sacks to his high school resume, earning All-State honors once again. In his final season with Wilbur Cross, he was also honored on the Walter Camp All-Connecticut First Team.

Jones’ career in Connecticut

Although he had been projected to play offensive tackle, Jones arrived in Connecticut and immediately impacted the defensive tackle position. He played 12 games, making 10 starts like a true freshman. His size made him the perfect choice at nose tackle, a burly obstacle in the heart of the defensive line.

In his debut against UCF, Jones recorded 7 tackles. The Connecticut defensive tackle would add the first tackle for loss of his career against Syracuse, one of the teams that had hounded him since Wilbur Cross. He would end the season with an outstanding performance against East Carolina, posting a career best 10 tackles that included 2 tackles for loss.

Jones had 55 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and half a sack in his freshman season. Despite losing some of his volume in his second season, the Connecticut defensive tackle continued to be disruptive. With impressive performances against USF, UMass and Cincinnati, he finished the season with 6 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

A year away leads to a year of career and national recognition

As disruptive as Jones was in 2019, the following college football The season proved even more interrupted. While the global pandemic caused chaos and confusion in conferences across the country, Connecticut opted not to play the season at all. Away from the football field for a year, Jones worked hard on his fitness and fitness. The UConn manager returned ready to work on a more muscular version of himself and took a studious approach to the game.

“He loves playing football,” coach Randy Edsall told the CT Post ahead of the 2021 season. “He loves the work that goes with it. During all this time we’ve had, he’s become even more of a student of the game. Here’s a guy who was just great, a raw guy who was seeing the ball, receiving the ball. Now, you see him really understand how it all works as a defensive lineman.”

The result was a career year with the eyes of NFL scouts on him. He had 9 tackles, including 2 for loss and a sack, against Holy Cross. Against an impressive Purdue program, he recorded a sack and a tackle for loss. In seven games, he scored at least half a tackle for loss, and in five games, he had at least half a sack. His performances earned him a Invitation to the Senior Bowl 2022, which will serve as the final transition from bulky high school kid to bona fide 2022 NFL Draft prospect for Connecticut defensive tackle Jones.

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Travis Jones, Connecticut DT | NFL draft scouting report