Philadelphia Eagles Draft Countdown: Making the Case for Byron Jones

The prevailing theory around town is that the Philadelphia Eagles improved their pass defense this offseason, yet I remain unconvinced. Bradley Fletcher and Nate Allen may be gone from the secondary, but the Birds haven't exactly replaced them, either.

Starting jobs at cornerback and safety are still up for grabs, and the current list of challengers does not inspire a great deal of confidence. The Eagles need an infusion of talent from the 2015 NFL draft that can compete for work in the defensive backfield right away.

Fortunately, one of the best athletes in the entire draft happens to have experience playing both positions and should be available when Philadelphia is on the clock with the 20th overall selection. We're talking about Byron Jones out of Connecticut, whose name first rose to prominence after an outrageous performance at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Jones became a story when he recorded a 147-inch broad jump, which is believed to be a world record. In fact, Jones finished among the top three cornerbacks at the combine in all the drills he participated in that day, according to NFL.com, including the vertical jump, three-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle.

YR	GMS	TKL	PD	INT	FF
2011	12	51	6	2	0
2012	12	87	3	1	0
2013	12	60	8	3	0
2014	7	24	4	2	0

Jones also impressed at Connecticut's pro day, where Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports the defensive back timed as low as 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash. As it turns out, the Eagles were well represented at the event, with head coach Chip Kelly, defensive coordinator Bill Davis and other coaches and personnel in attendance.

Philadelphia's interest in Jones is real. Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com reports the team also hosted Jones for one of its 30 official predraft visits.

The only question is whether Jones is worth a first-round pick. Most prospect rankings didn't have him that high prior to the combine. However, Jones' stock has been on a meteoric rise since the scouting community got a glimpse of his athleticism when the pads are off.

Jessica Hill/Associated Press

Jones isn't too bad when the pads are on, either. He was a fixture in the starting lineup by the end of his freshman season, playing his first two seasons of college ball at safety. He switched to cornerback his junior year and continued to produce.

In 43 games over four seasons, Jones recorded 222 tackles, 21 pass breakups and eight interceptions. According to Pro Football Focus, he was also tied for eighth in the nation in 2014 with a 42.9 completion percentage allowed.

In addition to tremendous athleticism and quality production on the field, Jones fits the bill of what the Eagles look for in a defensive back. At 6'1", 199 pounds and with 32-inch arms, he has the size, build and length to match up against just about any wide receiver in the NFL.

LCB	SS	FS	RCB
Walter Thurmond	Earl Wolff	Malcolm Jenkins	Byron Maxwell
Nolan Carroll	Chris Prosinski	Chris Maragos	Brandon Boykin
Jaylen Watkins	Jerome Couplin	Ed Reynolds	E.J. Biggers

What's more, in terms of the physical side of the game, Jones could step onto an NFL field right away. He could compete with Walter Thurmond III and Nolan Carroll for a starting cornerback job, or battle it out with Earl Wolff and Jaylen Watkins at safety. Either way, he has a good shot at winning a spot at the top of the depth chart as a rookie.

There's not a lot to dislike about Jones. He has everything the team looks for in a defensive back and the potential to contribute immediately.

The fact that Jones could be a full-time player from Day 1 is reason enough for the Eagles to consider spending their first-round pick on him. The fact that he has the natural athletic ability to perhaps develop into one of the better defensive backs in the NFL is the reason why the team can't afford to pass on Jones at No. 20.