Charlie Jones NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Purdue WR

HEIGHT: 5'11"

WEIGHT: 175

HAND: 9"

ARM: 31 5/8"

WINGSPAN: N/A

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40-YARD DASH: 4.43

3-CONE: N/A

SHUTTLE: N/A

VERTICAL: 36.5"

BROAD: 10'4"

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POSITIVES

— Good acceleration and top speed. Can be a threat beyond 10 yards.

— Plays bigger than his listed frame suggests. Strength is adequate.

— Excellent ball tracking and hands. Plays well outside his frame; can hang on through contact.

— Useful YAC generator. Good speed and a smooth mover with the ball.

— Experienced and effective returner on both punts and kickoffs.

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NEGATIVES

— Below-average release and route-running. Too often wastes steps without gaining ground.

— Below-average change of direction skills. Can be a little stiff getting in and out of breaks.

— Not a very explosive mover except for in a straight line.

— Older prospect. Will be 25 years old in the middle of rookie season.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 13 G, 110 REC, 1,361 YDS (12.4 AVG), 12 TD

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NOTES

— DOB: October 29, 1998

— 2-star recruit in Buffalo's 2017 recruiting class, per 247 Sports' composite rating

— Transferred to Iowa in 2019, then Purdue in 2022

— 12 career starts

— 2022 first-team All-Big Ten

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OVERALL

Charlie Jones is an older prospect with just enough speed, ball skills and return ability to be a useful rotational player and special-teamer.

Jones' best athletic trait is his speed. As evidenced by his 4.43 40-yard dash, Jones can really fly when he is allowed to take off on vertical routes. Go balls, fades and post routes all enable Jones to stride out and separate from his opponents in the simplest way possible. That speed also translates to his skills as a ball-carrier. Both when generating YAC and as a return man, Jones' acceleration and speed in the open field can be troublesome for defenders.

Jones also plays bigger than his listed height and weight suggest. He's not a bully by any means, but Jones showed little issue being able to fight for the ball through contact. He showed the ability to free his arms and leap for the ball through contact and still come down with it after taking a hit or landing hard. Jones is able to do that, in part, because his ball skills are exceptional. Whether the ball is high, low or well outside his frame, Jones finds a way to snag it and hang on, even on the sideline. He's a vacuum when the ball is in his area.

That said, Jones' game is limited by his lack of change-of-direction ability and explosion. Jones can struggle to sink his hips when snapping off routes, which wastes time. He also lacks the explosive ability to shoot out of those breaks and separate. That combination sort of limits Jones' route tree to vertical routes and a small handful of simple, quick-game routes.

On top of that, Jones often wastes time as a route-runner, especially at the line. He doesn't have the strength to run through contact and also doesn't have the quickness to sidestep press with ease. He sometimes needs to take extra steps and maneuvers to free himself, if he can at all.

Jones has the traits to be a useful vertical receiver. Though not the biggest prospect, particularly in the weight department, Jones' speed and ball skills are enough for him to have a path to playing time sooner than later. Jones will need to clean up his route-running, however, and even then his ceiling may still be limited to being a role player given his relative lack of agility and explosion. Jones would fit best in a vertical system on a team that also needs help in the return game.

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GRADE: 6.2 (High-Level Developmental Prospect/Round 5)

OVERALL RANK: 172

POSITION RANK: WR25

PRO COMPARISON: Smaller Romeo Doubs

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen