Phil Perry’s Draft Report Card on the Patriots 2nd round pick, Marcus Jones.
The more you can do ...
How many times have we heard it following the Patriots during Bill Belichick's tenure? Those five little words are why what the Patriots did with their third-round pick -- drafting Houston corner Marcus Jones at No. 85 overall -- should come as no surprise.
Jones may not have the kind of size the Patriots often draft early at the cornerback spot. But he has what looks like elite speed -- he didn't test prior to the draft as he dealt with injury -- on tape.
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His acceleration and change-of-direction ability shows up in his work as a defensive back, where he had enough athleticism to hold his own against bigger players consistently. For example, he matched up with Cincinnati's Alec Pierce (6-foot-3) last season, gave up seven inches in height, and still held his own.
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Jones also showed a willingness to throw around his undersized frame to make big hits when attacking the line of scrimmage.
And his burst popped as a return man and part-time offensive weapon, helping him earn the Paul Hornung Award as the country's most versatile player.
"He's been on both sides of the ball," Patriots director of player personnel Matt Groh said Friday. "Primarily corner. Inside. Outside. Even with his playmaking ability, trying to get the ball in his hands.
"You're talking about a team in Houston -- coach [Dana] Holgerson's had really good teams there and being able to put up a lot of points -- and this guy was dynamic enough that they take one of their best players on defense and put him on offense. Then they put him back there on punt returns and kick returns."
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With Jonathan Jones headed into a contract year, Jones may be the future slot corner in New England. But even if the veteran Jones sticks around for the foreseeable future, the rookie Jones could help Belichick match up against the two undersized speed demons who now reside in Miami in Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill.
One clear objective headed into this draft was for the Patriots to add some speed defensively. They've done that with Jones, as they did offensively by adding second-round pick Tyquan Thornton earlier in the night.
"Really excited to have two picks here tonight and add speed, and add speed really to all three phases of the team," Groh said. "Tyquan on offense and Marcus on defense and special teams. And we'll see what Tyquan can contribute on fourth down as well."
