Under the Radar Profile: Deion Jones,LB LSU

[Defjamz26]

This is my 2nd installment of the under the radar prospect topics. I think I'll start keeping track of previous topics and may start providing links to them.

 

Previous Prospects:

1. Karl Joseph, S WVU

 

 

Todays prospect is: Deion Jones, LB LSU

 

Size: Listed at 6'1", 219 pounds

 

Games Watched: vs, Alabama, Eastern Michigan, Florida. All 2015

 

Strengths: The first thing you'll notice is that he's a tremendous athlete. Flys around the field and covers ground very quickly.  After Smith and Jack, he may be the only other coverage LB. Against Florida he made an INT while matched up against a WR. He breaks on the ball very nicely. He also had a pick 6 against Eastern Michigan where he played good man coverage and read the QB. Shows the ability to diagnose plays and arrives with authority. This is all in 1 year as a starter as he played behind Kwon Alexander. Voted team captain.

 

Weaknesses: Although he tries to arrive with authority, his inconsistent tackling technique often leads to failed attempts. Against Alabama he somewhat got trucked by Jake Coker on a QB keeper in the red zone because he tried to hit him instead of wrapping him up. Needs to add more functional strength as 2nd level defenders lock onto him and wash him out of the play. Needs to learn how to stack and shed. Will sometimes just run straight into a wall of blockers instead of using his quickness to set himself up. Diagnosis is good but needs to trust his instincts more. Listed at 219 which is really light for a LB.

 

Pro Comparison: Stephone Anthony although the lazy comparison would be Kwon Alexander. Like Anthony he's a tremendous athlete who can hold up in coverage but needs work in the run game. But he shows coachable flaws and the aggressive attitude you would want in a LB. Anthony I thought was drafted a little too high because he wasn't as much of a force in the box as a guy like Kendricks or Perryman. That's basically how I feel about Jones. But his upside is tremendous, just like Anthony.

 

Projection: Like Alexander he's listed as an OLB, so projecting him to WILL at the next level is easy. He also has the tools to be a 3 down ILB in a 3-4 as well. He needs work but can be a force on special teams immediately. Alexander went in the 4th round last year and that's where I see Jones. Late 3rd-middle 4th.

[COLTS449]

I like him. but he needs to bulk up to at least 235 if he's drafted by a 3-4 team. I think he's fine at 220 if he goes to a 4-3 team as a WILL OLB. Telvin Smith has proven that. He's only 220 and has been very good in Jacksonville. He fell way down the draft, and some teams even thought of converting him to SS.

[SDakColts]

On 2/7/2016 at 3:03 PM, COLTS449 said:

I like him. but he needs to bulk up to at least 235 if he's drafted by a 3-4 team. I think he's fine at 220 if he goes to a 4-3 team as a WILL OLB. Telvin Smith has proven that. He's only 220 and has been very good in Jacksonville. He fell way down the draft, and some teams even thought of converting him to SS.

I am glad you brought up Telvin Smith. That would be my NFL comparison to Jones. Both fast undersized linebackers that are good in coverage, and are slightly above average in the run game.