Pick #26 - Datone Jones

[wist43]

Awe, shit, Wist. . . How many 6'4" 283lb DL come into the league every year who can hand fight with lineman well. Most guys make a living at that age on pure athleticism, jumping snaps and getting quick penetration. This guy has some skill on top of his raw talent. And every DL (NFL or otherwise) looks hot and cold. They're going against some bad-ass OL. Sometimes they just get stopped. At the end of Clifton's prime (and the beginning of Jared Allen's prime) there were a couple games where Jared Allen looked like CJ Wilson. DL don't win every battle and sometimes the OL just make them look bad, even if they're great. In the case of Jared Allen, I remember games where he looked bad from start to finish. And he's never been bad. Getting two pressures and one sack per game is all-pro.

I'm not a big fan of reading into the, looks great some plays, gets stopped others, thing. I think that's the nature of the game.

Justin Smith came into the league as a 6'4" 264 pound 4-3 DE. . . This kid we got has both talent (size/athleticism) and skill. And he wants to work, he wants to be great. . . . I just don't see him as a scary pick. Nick Perry now, that's another story. To me, that's a scary pick.

Justin Smith is just a badass son of a bitch... I don't get too hung up on size.

As for giving up the edge - sorry, that is not acceptable. Justin Smith would never allow himself to be turned and ridden out of a play the way I see Jones sometimes.

As it said in the write up 3irth1 posted - I didn't write that. Jones does, in fact, have a bit of a history of 'playing down to the competition'. I probably watched more film of Jones than I did anyone else, it was enough to scare me off him. I like his ability, but I'm not sure what we're getting.

[wist43]

Scouts contradict each other all of the time. The report wist posted said that he takes plays off--while most reports that I've read is that he's tenacious as hell and doesn't take many plays off. Who knows really, but you can get negative on any player. Scouts are good at covering their asses. When I watch his video, he passes the "smell test." He looks like what you want out of a 3-4 DE prospect. I wonder what Clay Matthews bio read.

I didn't post that - 3irty1 did. I was just quoting it.

I agree with the write up though.

[HarveyWallbangers]

http://www.footballsfuture.com/2001/...tin_smith.html

Justin Smith draft bio (Hard to believe he's almost 34 years old)

Negatives... Too pass rush conscious, which causes him to slowly diagnose the running plays directed at him...Gets sealed off some when trying to display inside counter moves... Dips his shoulder when trying to move laterally, slowing down his agility...Strikes under control, but frequently grabs at ball carriers in run support, rather than wrapping them... Has a hard time disengaging from double coverage and can be controlled when attempting to shoot the inside gaps.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Universal praise--which means diddly squat.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/204804611.html

[wootah]

I looked up the Senior Bowl practice reports of nfldraftcountdown [ http://draftcountdown.com/features/S...enior-Bowl.php ] and these are the excerpts which mention Jones.

Monday:
For a lot of the practice the North team had the offensive linemen and defensive linemen battling in one-on-ones. The defensive linemen that really stood out the most were Texas defensive end Alex Oakfor, Purdue defensive tackle Kawann Short, UCLA tackle/end Datone Jones and Penn State defensive tackle Jordan Hill. All had excellent practices.

Tuesday:
DE Datone Jones played inside and outside today. Dipped past Hugh Thornton on an inside move from the DT position. Was also the only player to beat Eric Fisher off the egde today. Solid day and Jones showed some good physicality when playing inside.

Wednesday:
UCLA DE Datone Jones has at the very least solidified his status as a second or third round pick this week and has probably moved up most draft boards. An impressive physical specimen who profiles as either a left defensive end in an odd front or a five-technique in an odd front, Jones won his one-on-one battles by utilizing an array of different methods including a spin move and edge rush.

Thursday:
UCLA DE Datone Jones is expected to be either a base end or five technique in the NFL but I was surprised by how well he performed in the linebacker drills. Now Jones wasn’t the best of the group but he was far from the worst and did a solid job overall, especially for a guy who is 280 pounds. I doubt Jones will ever be a full-time linebacker at the next level but it may not be as absurd of an idea as once thought.

[RashanGary]

I watched that full game of Jones above. I don't think he took any plays off. There were times where his job at center was to make sure he didn't vacate the middle of the field, and sort of kept his eyes open for anything developing in the flat. I guess you could see that as him taking a play off, but I see it as him having a different responsibility. Saying a guy "takes a play off" is awful hard when you don't know what he's being asked to do. I thought he looked competitive, quick, fast and strong in that tape. He got pushed out a couple times (twice on double teams, at least once I remember by the RT) We're not drafting Ryan Pickett here. We're drafting a guy who's being asked to play the run and the pass.

He's already competitive with his hands at age 22. He's only going to get better. He's the most polished DL we've drafted since TT has been here, and that includes Raji. Raji had moments where he dominated, but he didn't come out with hands like this guy has. Mike Daniels was polished too, but not nearly the athlete.

[wist43]

I watched that full game of Jones above. I don't think he took any plays off. There were times where his job at center was to make sure he didn't vacate the middle of the field, and sort of kept his eyes open for anything developing in the flat. I guess you could see that as him taking a play off, but I see it as him having a different responsibility. Saying a guy "takes a play off" is awful hard when you don't know what he's being asked to do. I thought he looked competitive, quick, fast and strong in that tape. He got pushed out a couple times (twice on double teams, at least once I remember by the RT) We're not drafting Ryan Pickett here. We're drafting a guy who's being asked to play the run and the pass.

He's already competitive with his hands at age 22. He's only going to get better. He's the most polished DL we've drafted since TT has been here, and that includes Raji. Raji had moments where he dominated, but he didn't come out with hands like this guy has. Mike Daniels was polished too, but not nearly the athlete.

I said he looked good in that game.

[RashanGary]

I like this pick a lot. It's my favorite 1st round pick since BJ Raji. I hated the Clay Matthews pick, thought he should have been starting if he was a good player at USC. The Bulaga pick was good, but it didn't get me excited. I didn't like the Sherrod pick at all, thought he was a project. Nick Perry I started hating as soon as I saw him attempt to cover in the preseason.

This guy looks good, right now. He's going to get beat, especially early in his career. All DL do. But he has a feel for fighting in the trenches and has some WOW athletic ability. Just off the bat, looking at some of the drills and things they show online, I think he looks better in space than Nick Perry. Capers talked about liking to give Clay opportunities to attack inside. This guy opens up that playbook because he can switch spots with Clay and not get shredded even if he's asked to play in space.

[RashanGary]

This pick makes me hate the Nick Perry pick even more. We could have the RB, Doug Martin or the S Harrison Smith. Instead we have a pudgy OLB who covers like a DT. The DE we just drafted looks more fluid and natural in space than the OLB we drafted last year. On top of that, Perry is a big dummy and didn't want to be here. Makes me sick.

[wist43]

We needed a DE, we still need a NT - I've got my fingers crossed for Brandon Williams.

My take with Jones is somewhat similar to TT's draft last year. I do like Jones's talent; he has ability; and I do see him as a much more natural 5 than Raji. But as with Worthy... what player are we getting?? To me, there were enough red flags with Jones that I had crossed him off my wish list - conceding that he would likely be TT's pick if he were still on the board. If Jones was all that, he would have been a top 10 pick. He dropped to 26, and many had him rated lower than that, for a reason.

Truth be told, I was hoping someone would snag him before our pick, and that we'd trade out of the 1st round. But alas, Jones is a Packer, and I hope the flashes of good play are a glimpse of what he can do consistently on the next level.

[wist43]

Universal praise--which means diddly squat.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/204804611.html

Here's the Senior Bowl practice.

[RashanGary]

Eric Fisher sure makes you wish we weren't starting Marshall Newhouse look at that guy's combination of power and movement. Yikes.

[RashanGary]

Your guy, Brandon Williams, looks pretty good, Wist.

[wist43]

Your guy, Brandon Williams, looks pretty good, Wist.

He's a little short of 6'2", 341 lbs. He's a load, but he's also got excellent movement skills for a man his size. I want to plop him down at NT, and let him eat guards, centers, and snaps.

At least TT seems to recognize how desperate our DL situation is.

[Fritz]

He's a little short of 6'2", 341 lbs. He's a load, but he's also got excellent movement skills for a man his size. I want to plop him down at NT, and let him eat guards, centers, and snaps.

At least TT seems to recognize how desperate our DL situation is.

I too would like to see TT draft a big man to anchor the middle, but I am hoping that guy can be found in the fourth or fifth round. But I would not complain if your man B Will was a GB pick.

[3irty1]

This pick makes me hate the Nick Perry pick even more. We could have the RB, Doug Martin or the S Harrison Smith. Instead we have a pudgy OLB who covers like a DT. The DE we just drafted looks more fluid and natural in space than the OLB we drafted last year. On top of that, Perry is a big dummy and didn't want to be here. Makes me sick.

That pudgy OLB is a physical freak. He's exactly what is needed to take the defense to the next level.

[3irty1]

As for Jones, I like the player and don't understand the fit yet. I'll be interested to see how and where he gets used.

[Fritz]

I don't understand the hating on Jones after all the talk about how the Packers had the wrong-sized guys for the 3-4 front. He's the classic 3-4 DE size.

It could be fun if these bastards all stay healthy - Neal, Perry, and now Jones in the mix all year long could provide some energy, some burst, to this team.

I had like Sylvester Williams, but as I look at his height and weight, adding him to the mix would be adding another heavier/shorter guy like Worthy. So I understand going in a different direction and getting the classic sized DE.

All day long yesterday I was bummed about what McGinn wrote about how out-of-shape Raji, Pickett, and Jolly were at the conditioning stuff that just went down last week or so. But later I began to wonder: did McGinn or any reporter actually see these guys conditioning and reporting out of shape, or were the reporters given those descriptions by a "source"?

Anyone know?

[denverYooper]

Doug Farrar weighs in: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-sh...8991--nfl.html

What he brings to the team: The return of a Cullen Jenkins-type player, which the Packers have been missing since Jenkins went to the Eagles. Because Jones has the legitimate ability to play as a penetrating defensive tackle and run-stopping defensive end, and potential to play as an end in certain 3-4 and 5-2 fronts, Jones provides optimal value in Dom Capers' defense.

"I feel like the game is changing," Jones said at the combine. "There’s more versatile defensive linemen in today’s game. You don’t really see every-down defensive linemen now. You see a guy who plays first and second down, then goes and sits down. Then another pass-rush specialist comes in on third down and takes his spot. I want to be a guy who can play every down."

The tape shows, quite conclusively, that he's already doing it

Was it the right pick? Perfect fit -- this is a lock for both player and team. Jones is set up to excel as a potential Defensive Rookie of the Year level.

[Bretsky]

I like Jones when he decides to play - from the write-up that 3irty1 posted:

"Jones lacks the speed to be an edge rusher, and struggles to consistently finish and close once out in space. At times, he appears to take plays off, content to let blockers tie him up at the LOS and drive or seal him off the ball when he is clearly physically capable of controlling the LOS. When he gets too high off the snap, he limits his COD ability and makes himself an easy target for blockers...

"Datone Jones was a frustrating player to evaluate at times because he has the physical gifts to be a dominant interior lineman against both the run and pass, but does not give consistent effort on every down."

That's what I saw when I was watching film of him. Lot's to like if you watch his highlight reel - lot's to be afraid of if you watch him playing lazy. His blase', slow waltz, lack of effort act scared me off of him.

That said, I figured TT was going to zero in on this guy. He's got some length, long arms, strong hands, and can hold the point very effectively - when he's interested apparently.

The guy has tools, that's for sure, but I don't trust this pick at all.

Lots of great writups on ths guy wist; why you choosing the negative slant ? This pick was a no brainer