Datone Jones: 5 Things You Need to Know About the UCLA DE

If there is one word that best describes Datone Jones it is versatile. Jones can literally line up at a number of positions across any defensive line in the league.

He's got the strength to be a force at defensive tackle but also has the speed to be a threat on the outside when rushing the passer. Jones should be a rather difficult player to consistently contain at the next level.

Let's take a look at five things that you need to know about the UCLA defensive end.

Combine results courtesy of NFL.com. College stats courtesy of Sports-Reference.com.

Background

Full Name: Datone Jones

Birthday: July 25, 1990

Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.

High School: Compton (Calif.) High School

Major: History

Year: Senior

Jones was a dominant force on defense throughout his high school career. As a senior, Jones recorded 91 tackles, seven sacks and two forced fumbles.

He was considered a 4-star recruit and the No. 8 defensive end by Rivals.com.

Statistics

Datone Jones never had statistics that jumped off the page at you. Instead, he was a solid producer for four straight years while at UCLA. Jones did miss the entire 2010 season due to a fractured foot.

His senior year was easily his best year, when he recorded a ridiculous 19 tackles for loss. Take a look below to see what else Jones was able to accomplish during his fours years for the Bruins.

Year	Solo Tackles	Total Tackles	Tackles for Loss	Sacks	Forced Fumbles
2008	10	15	0	0	0
2009	12	30	11.0	4.0	2
2011	23	41	6.5	3.0	0
2012	45	62	19.0	5.5	1

All statistics courtesy of sports-reference.com.

Draft Process

Measurables

Height: 6'4"

Weight: 283 pounds

Arm Length: 32.75"

Hands: 10"

Combine Results

40-yard dash: 4.80 seconds

Bench press: 29 reps

Vertical jump: 31.5"

Broad jump: 112"

3 cone drill: 7.32 seconds

20-yard shuttle: 4.32 seconds (top performer)

What makes Datone Jones such a versatile player is his athleticism. While his combine results weren't outstanding, he did well enough to show NFL teams that he has the skills to be a producer in the NFL.

All combine results courtesy of NFL.com.

Interesting Facts

There are a number of reasons why a high school kid will choose a college to play football at. From the universities prestige to playing time, the list goes on and on.

Well, the main reason that Datone Jones chose UCLA over other schools was because he was born and raised right there in Los Angeles. He went to high school at Compton High School and was a 4-star recruit.

He had offers from other schools such at Notre Dame, Oregon and USC but decided to stay close to where he grew up.

Observations

Being called a "tweener" isn't usually a good thing for NFL prospects. However, Yahoo! Sports' Doug Farrar doesn't see it like that:

"

I saw Datone Jones get pass pressure as a stand-up 5-tech. At 283 pounds. That's pretty impressive. Really versatile guy. Not a tweener.

— SC_DougFarrar (@SC_DougFarrar) April 20, 2013"

Dane Brugler, who writes for CBSSports.com, sees the scales tipping in Jones' favor in terms of strengths compared to weaknesses:

"

Just finished a scouting report on #UCLA DE Datone Jones...crazy how many more "strengths" than "weaknesses" I have for him...so talented

— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) March 28, 2013"