Making the Case for Chris Jones to the New England Patriots

Dominique Easley's departure from the New England Patriots leaves a hole at defensive tackle. 

But if his short tenure in Foxborough proved anything, it's that not just any interior defensive lineman can come in and play in the Patriots' system—not even a talented player like Easley.

Now, with the Patriots apparently making the shift to more of a 3-4 base defense, the linemen will be asked to hold their ground at the line of scrimmage rather than penetrating through the line to make plays in the backfield. The latter was one of Easley's strengths; the former was not. So in searching for a new lineman to fill Easley's vacated snaps, the Patriots will probably be looking in the other direction.

One of the first players they should see is defensive tackle Chris Jones. 

The 6'6", 310-pound lineman posted 95 total tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and 10 batted passes in three seasons at Mississippi State. 

But more important than his production, he has the appropriate traits for a defensive lineman in the Patriots defense. He has arms like stilts at 34 ½" long, one of several tools at his disposal to help keep blockers at bay. 

According to NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, Jones is a fit in either a 3-4 or 4-3 front because he has both "the quickness off the snap to disrupt in the gaps and the strength to control the point of attack." 

That combination of tools makes him a great fit, given the Patriots' tendency to change their looks on defense. Every week, the Patriots defensive linemen run the gamut of responsibilities. That being said, the Patriots will be most drawn to his ability to maintain his ground and control the gaps to both his left and right. 

That's the job description that the likes of Vince Wilfork, Richard Seymour and others in the Patriots' 3-4 defense have carried out. It's more about carrying out the responsibility of holding ground and keeping the linebackers clean than it is about covering themselves with glory by collecting sacks and big plays behind the line of scrimmage. 

These are strengths further outlined in Zierlein's scouting report of Jones:

"

Has strength in his hands and upper body to shed blockers without much effort when it's time. Made to stymie downhill rushing attacks. ... Flashes some occasional "quick win" hand work as pass rusher. Posted 34 quarterback pressures and 11.5 run stuffs. ... Can generate a heavy pocket push when he gets some knee-­bend going. Sure­fire tackler with vision and agility to scrape down line of scrimmage and clean up runners working through line of scrimmage.

"

There are plenty of nice things to say about Jones' game and his fit in New England, but what are some of the negatives? Is there any reason the Patriots shouldn't draft him?

Zierlein notes that Jones could work on his leverage off the snap—a man of his height will always have a disadvantage when it comes to getting that all-important low ground. Technique issues can be corrected with enough attention to detail. Then, it's just a matter of putting in the work. 

Dane Brugler of CBS Sports is just one of several web scouts who indicate Jones' motor might be an issue, noting that the Mississippi State product "lacks a sense of urgency and wears down easily, forcing him to go half-speed too often." Patriots head coach Bill Belichick will overlook some things, but one thing he won't let go is a lack of effort.

If there's any doubt that Jones is 100 percent committed to giving his all on every play and every day of the week during practice and film sessions, he'll never see the light of day.

On that note, another downside of Jones as a prospect is his lack of experience. Yes, he was solid throughout his senior season, but he came in off the bench during the first two years of his career. With just one year of consistent production, there's a chance that Jones might have been a flash in the pan.

Zierlein seems to indicate that won't be a problem, though, saying that Jones' "production this season matched the flashes he showed on tape." 

It's possible that the Patriots would want to wait until the third round for a defensive tackle, as there's expected to be some starting-caliber players still remaining. It's also possible that Jones will be long gone by the time the Patriots go on the clock at No. 60—unless, of course, they opt to trade up for the defensive tackle of their desires. 

But if Jones is staring them in the face at the end of the second round, it will be hard to justify turning another direction.