Deion Jones NFL Draft 2016: Scouting Report, Grade for Falcons Rookie

POSITIVES

Following in the footsteps of another undersized LSU linebacker (Kwon Alexander), Deion Jones hopes he can impress NFL teams with his movement and playmaking abilities.

An incredibly fast athlete with excellent range and chase speed, Jones isn’t out of the play when the ball goes away from his side. A true sideline-to-sideline performer, Jones’ speed makes him a threat to play any linebacker position if he can add some size without losing speed.

On film, Jones has a knack for making the big play. He lived around the ball in 2015 and will flash with TFLs and pass breakups. He’s an explosive, fiery player, and when utilized as a pass-rusher he can eat up cushions off the ball. Jones is deadly in space and has rare movement skills working laterally across the field.

Despite a limited number of starts, Jones has experience as a rotational player at LSU and was voted a team captain in 2015. With amazing speed and athleticism, someone will bite on him early as a coverage linebacker with room to grow into a three-down playmaker.

NEGATIVES

Just a one-year starter at LSU, Jones is small for a linebacker and will be viewed differently by teams running 3-4 versus 4-3 schemes. In a 3-4 set, he’s more of a nickel linebacker, which has less draft-day value.

Adding strength will be an early key for Jones in his pro career. He too easily gets pushed and bullied by high-caliber linemen in the SEC. Jones struggles to fight through traffic and tries to loop around the pile to make plays.

A lack of fundamentals throughout his tape causes Jones to be viewed as more of a developmental prospect. He doesn’t have the awareness or footwork to stay tight in coverage, even though he’s quick enough to carry receivers up the field. Jones needs time to develop, but the payoff could be huge.

COMBINE RESULTS

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 222 lbs.

40 Time: 4.38s

3-Cone: 7.13s

Short Shuttle: 4.26s

PRO COMPARISON: Jelani Jenkins, Miami Dolphins
FINAL GRADE: 5.90/9.00 (Round 3-4—Future Starter)