How Rookie Cyrus Jones Fits in New England Patriots Defense

Should anyone have been surprised by the New England Patriots' selection of Alabama cornerback Cyrus Jones in this past weekend's NFL draft?

He plays a position of need for the Patriots, he plays all four downs (three on defense and one on special teams) and he comes from a program that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick trusts to put out quality players.

But once Jones is in New England, how will he fit into the defense?

He has experience playing all kinds of coverage: press-man, off-man and zone. He passes the Patriots' litmus test for his athletic skills and testing numbers.

Most of his experience is on the boundary, which could be a problem in the NFL at 5'10" and 197 pounds while up against much bigger receivers. There will be times when he loses a matchup with a receiver due to his lack of size, but it will never be for a lack of effort. He is competitive while the ball is in the air, not unlike other undersized, scrappy cornerbacks like Malcolm Butler and Logan Ryan. 

Player	Snaps
Malcolm Butler	1099
Logan Ryan	993
Devin McCourty	944
Patrick Chung	903
Duron Harmon	612

One area the Patriots admire in defensive backs—and another where Jones excels—is run support. As a hard-nosed defensive back, Jones might be competing with safeties Patrick Chung and Duron Harmon for the responsibility as the fifth defensive back on the field in nickel packages. That role was dominated by the two safeties last year, as the Patriots' top five defensive backs were two corners and three safeties.

Jones' versatility gives him the ability to move outside and inside, so expect the Patriots to move him around in spring practices and training camp (as they do with almost every other player on the roster) in search of the best fit. 

"I played nickel a good deal in practice but Coach Saban always wanted me on the outside," Jones said, "so that's where I predominantly was in the season, and in games I was always pretty much trailing the top receiver for the opposite team, so they would line up on the outside the majority of the time, so that's where I'd find myself. I can definitely play nickel. It's no problem if I have to slide inside."

One of the most interesting nuggets about Jones has nothing to do with how he fits into the Patriots defense—and if so, only indirectly. Jones was once a wide receiver before making the switch to cornerback after Alabama coach and Belichick buddy Nick Saban asked him to try it out. 

Wide receiver-turned-cornerback? Insert your Troy Brown comparisons here.

"Coach Saban, you know, we were losing a couple of defensive backs after my freshman year and coach knew that I could play DB and he asked me, would I be willing to try it out for the spring time," Jones said. "I bought in and I just wanted to help the team in any way possible and it worked out for me and the team."

On further review, a more apt comparison may be wide receiver Julian Edelman. In much the same way as Edelman's experience at quarterback gives him an advantage at wide receiver, Jones' experience at receiver can be a benefit at cornerback. 

But more than any superficial comparisons, Jones' experience as a receiver gives him a unique vantage point and understanding of what receivers are trying to do to him in their routes. 

His obsession with breaking down film will help him fill in the blanks. 

"Yes, I love watching film," Jones said. "I used to get teased a lot at 'Bama by my coaches saying I should have an office where their offices were because I was in the film room so much and up there almost just as much as they were. I love watching film and think that's the key to becoming a better player. There are a lot of players in this league that have physical gifts and talent but you know working hard off the field, I think that's what separates you."

His blend of traits, his versatility, his football intelligence and his work ethic will go a long way to propelling Jones to a bright NFL future no matter what role the Patriots choose for him. 

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand.