James Jones

[HarveyWallbangers]

I believe Schneider when he said a team called him, and said this was a great pick. That's what people don't realize about the draft. Just because your team took a guy in the 3rd when he was projected in the 5th doesn't mean other teams didn't like him or he would have been available later. Some times it happens, but more likely than not, teams slot guys correctly (see Justin Harrell). Tough upbringing. Went to San Jose State over Washington and Washington State because his Mom had a tumor.

Jones joins race for No. 3 receiver
By Pete Dougherty
pdougher@greenbaypressgazette.com

The Green Bay Packers have to hope rookie receiver James Jones is a diamond unearthed in last weekend’s NFL draft.

General Manager Ted Thompson has put great faith in his scouting acumen by drafting the relatively anonymous Jones after not signing any receivers in free agency or offering enough to acquire Randy Moss in a trade.

Thompson badly needs to upgrade a pedestrian receiving corps behind starters Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, and he could have used a higher pick in that quest. Besides not selecting a receiver in the first round, he decided not to spend his second-round pick, No. 47 overall, on USC’s Steve Smith, opting instead to trade back. Then, with the early third-round pick obtained in the deal, No. 78 overall, he made Jones the 14th receiver off the board in the receiver-rich draft.

In so doing, Thompson tabbed Jones as a prime candidate for the No. 3 receiving job in an offense that finished 22nd in the NFL in scoring last season.

Jones is competing with an undistinguished group that includes Robert Ferguson, fifth-round pick David Clowney, Ruvell Martin, Carlyle Holiday and Shaun Bodiford.

“That’s what I’m here for, I’m here to win a job,” Jones said. “It starts now. College career, that was just me interviewing. Now I got hired, and it starts now for me to compete for a job.”

Jones was the most surprising of Thompson’s 11 selections in this year’s draft. Despite being a first-day pick, he was little known outside the scouting community and regarded as a late-round pick by some, if not many, teams.

Though Jones caught 70 passes last season and has good size for the position (6-foot-¾, 207 pounds), he ran the 40-yard dash in only 4.6 seconds at the NFL scouting combine. He improved that a little at his campus workout, when he ran in the 4.55 range, depending on which team timed him.

John Schneider, the Packers’ personnel analyst to the GM, said he’s talked with scouts from a number of teams, and their grades on Jones varied greatly.

“I think either you had him (in the third or high fourth round) or you were turned off because he didn’t run especially well at the combine,” Schneider said. “But I know when we took him, there was one team that called and said, ‘Great pick, best hands in the draft.’”

The Packers picked Jones at No. 78 after a major run on receivers -- four in a row were selected from Nos. 73 through 76 (Jacoby Jones, Yamon Figures, Laurent Robinson and Jason Hill). Two picks later, the Packers took Jones because they thought he was one of the strongest, most physical receivers in the draft, both in catching the ball in a crowd and breaking tackles while running after the catch.

There are other strong, physical receivers who have done well in the NFL despite running the 40 poorly, most notably Arizona’s Anquan Boldin, who ran a stunningly slow 4.73-second 40 at the scouting combine. But Boldin caught 101 passes as a rookie and has become one of the NFL’s best receivers in his four years in the league. Boldin and Jones are similar in height, though Boldin was slightly heavier coming out of college, weighing 216 pounds to Jones’ 207.

To project Jones as a Boldin-quality player is unrealistic. Boldin was a second-round pick and the rare receiver who excelled as a rookie. The Packers drafted Jones higher than pundits and many teams predicted because they think his physical strength offsets his lack of pure speed.

“There’s all different types of receivers,” Schneider said, “and he fits the mold of a power receiver: drops his hips, run after the catch, takes the ball out of the air, he’s aggressive to the ball. Those are the things that stood out to us. When you watch him play -- I’m sure people had (his 40 at) a certain range, low 4.5s to high 4.5s -- but he has very good game tempo. That’s what attracted us.”

Another red flag for some teams was Jones’ low score, a 9, on the Wonderlic intelligence test. That’s usually not a deal breaker, but it does compel teams to investigate the player’s ability to absorb a playbook.

In interviews with Jones and people in the San Jose State football program, the Packers determined he is serious about football and is emotionally mature.

Jones also said he prepared poorly for the Wonderlic. His agent gave him a practice copy, but he answered the 50-question test at his leisure rather than under the pressure of the test’s 12-minute time limit. He said when he saw a copy of the test after he took it at the scouting combine, he realized the errors he made in his haste.

“A lot of words you miss while you’re trying to go through it real fast,” he said. “I went back and read it again and I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s what it said.’ I wish I would have taken my time more at the combine, but a Wonderlic test really can’t tell how a person can play football. I understand the plays.”

Jones might have gained some of his maturity and hunger for NFL success from a difficult upbringing in San Jose, where for about four years he, his sister and mother lived in homeless shelters while she unsuccessfully tried to find an apartment she could afford.

He then moved in with his grandmother for all four years of high school.

Jones said he was offered scholarship by Washington and Washington State of the Pac-10 Conference but turned those down because he wanted to stay near his mother, who had a 24-pound tumor in her stomach at the time he was choosing college. She had surgery -- “It was the size of a football,” Jones said -- and has been healthy since.

“You go through all that for a reason,” Jones said. “It made me a better person, it made me understand that the little things matter a lot. You understand that you can’t always have millions (of dollars), you can’t always have big houses, fancy cars. You just have to appreciate whatever you get.”

[HarveyWallbangers]

He's a popular subject.

Opinions differ on Jones
By BOB McGINN

Green Bay - Contrary to some draft-night impressions, the Green Bay Packers weren't guilty of a reach of epochal proportion with their selection of wide receiver James Jones in the middle of the third round.

That might have been a little high given questions about Jones' speed and mental acuity. But, as scouts often say, if you really want a certain player you often must overpay to get him.

Late last week, six personnel people with a national focus were asked what round Jones had been on their team's draft board. Three scouts said fourth round, two said fifth round and another refused to be more specific than "second day."

Also, each scout was asked what one player caught them most by surprise being selected in the opening three rounds.

Defensive tackle Jay Alford (third round, No. 81 pick by the New York Giants) garnered two votes. Drawing one vote were fullback Brian Leonard (second round, No. 52, New York Giants), center Samson Satele (second round, No. 60, Miami), cornerback Usama Young (third round, No. 66, New Orleans) and Jones (third round, No. 78, Green Bay).

Even the scout that regarded Jones as the biggest reach of the first three rounds still had him as a fifth-round choice.

"The only negative we had was the speed," the personnel man said. "His speed was on the average side. Not a real threat per se but a respectable player. He's a good player, just not a dynamic player."

On the opposite end of the spectrum was Jim Gruden, a personnel consultant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and an NFL scout for 23 years.

"I had him in the fourth but only because of his speed," Gruden said. "He kind of reminded me really of a young Sterling Sharpe. I hate to say that because I thought Sterling was great, but he's built like that. Real strong, physical kid. I think Green Bay got a good player, especially for the bad weather. I will be shocked if he's not."

Sharpe measured 5 feet 11 1/4 inches, weighed 201 at the combine in 1988 and ran 40 yards in 4.54 and 4.49, according to the National and Blesto combines.

Jones, 6-0 3/4 and 210, ran 4.54 at the combine in February.

The players that Jones has been told by Packers' coaches and scouts that he reminds them of are Arizona's Anquan Boldin (6-0 1/2, 215, 4.67) and Pittsburgh's Hines Ward (5-11 1/2, 215, 4.55).

"Jimmy Robinson told me that I reminded him of Anquan Boldin," said Jones, referring to the Packers' wide receivers coach. "But I'm not going to worry about playing like Anquan Boldin or Hines Ward. I'm going to play like James Jones."

One AFC personnel director said Jones' strength, though good, wasn't close to Boldin's level. Another scout compared him to Seattle's Bobby Engram, a slot possession receiver for 11 seasons.

"We had him 4.59," an NFC personnel director said. "He had a low test score (9 on the Wonderlic intelligence test). Let me say this. There were enough things to keep him in the second day. But I like him. The problem is nobody had him going that high. James Jones wasn't talked about by other teams."

Jones understood the gravity of his situation. After his nondescript 2005 season at San Jose State, scouts for the two scouting combines gave him free-agent grades. There were even more questions when San Jose State coach Dick Tomey didn't permit his players to run the 40 last spring. Based on tape review, one combine scout estimated his time to be 4.65.

In the 2006 San Jose State media guide, the depth chart at split end listed Jones as no better than a possible starter.

"I didn't make the plays I should have made my junior year," Jones said. "But I trained real hard in the summer and told myself, 'If I'm going to have a chance and change these people's minds, I need to have a blowout senior year.' "

Jones said he lived from "homeless shelter to homeless shelter" from ages 8 to 12 in the San Jose area with his mother, sister and cousin. His aunt was in prison, his father was involved with drugs and his mother had a 24-pound tumor removed from her stomach during his senior year in high school.

"Sometimes you go through the day and you don't eat, sometimes you go through the day and you barely can sleep," Jones said of his homeless years. "It was a rough childhood."

Today, Jones' mother is in good health and his dad has become a strong, supportive factor in his life.

"I'm glad I went through it because it made me a better person," he said. "I just know I've got to work hard and don't take nothing for granted. Because as quick as it came it can be taken away."

One personnel director for an AFC team that had Jones in the fifth round said: "Really a good worker. Long strider. Not real quick in and out of breaks. Didn't have a great feel on routes. Athletic. Hands were below average. They thought he needed some reps there. More of a long-term project."

An AFC director with a fourth-round grade on Jones said: "He's a nice-sized kid. Very consistent. He's just not a speed guy. . . but he plays faster than what he times. And the time wasn't that awful. Good player."

Jones caught 70 of his 126 passes and scored 10 of his 12 touchdowns in '06 as San Jose State finished 9-4, its best record since 1990.

"He just doesn't have that top-end speed that everybody gets all enamored with," Gruden said. "There's a lot of guys that don't run fast but just know how to play. He's very coachable. He's just a football player."

[MJZiggy]

"There's a lot of guys that don't run fast but just know how to play. He's very coachable. He's just a football player."

I really like this part.

[RashanGary]

Gruden knows a little about recievers so I'd say his opinion is pretty damn valid.

[retailguy]

"There's a lot of guys that don't run fast but just know how to play. He's very coachable. He's just a football player."

I really like this part.


Much better than "He's a basketball player", or "He's a soccer player", or He's a baseball player"... :roll:

[Joemailman]

If Jones was a reach on the 3rd round, then Clowney was a steal on the 5th round, since a lot of people had him going as early as the 3rd round. So who cares? If Jones becomes a starter eventually, he was worth a 3rd round pick. What I like about Jones in the short term is that he appears to be strong enough physically to handle the rigors of the NFL as a rookie, which is not always the case with WR's coming out of college. If he can pick up the offense (and I realize that's always a big if with rookies), he could be the #3 WR before long.

[BallHawk]

Kid's come a pretty long way considering he grew up in a variety of homeless shelters, living on food stamps.

[MJZiggy]

"There's a lot of guys that don't run fast but just know how to play. He's very coachable. He's just a football player."

I really like this part.


Much better than "He's a basketball player", or "He's a soccer player", or He's a baseball player"... :roll:

Exactly. I want football players, not just great athletes.

[Joemailman]

Sporting News had him ranked 15th among WR's. He was the 12th WR taken, so they don't think he was a major reach. Here is their post-draft analysis:

James Jones
WR, San Jose State

War Room analysis
Post-draft analysis: Looking to add a receiver who can eventually replace Donald Driver, the Packers grabbed the highly productive Jones. He is not a workout warrior, but is a good athlete with good hands and a knack for making big plays.

Strengths: Is a strong runner after the catch. Can turn short receptions into long touchdowns. Has quickness to separate when running routes with knee bend and good body position. Shows good, strong hands. Shows the toughness to catch slants and crossing routes with linebackers barreling down on him. Is fearless going up for high passes. Is elusive enough to make the first defender miss.

Weaknesses: Lacks elite speed to separate on deep routes. Runs upright too often, hindering ability to make strong, quick cuts.

Bottom line: Jones will be a surprise because of his big-play flair. He should improve with pro experience and become a good receiver with big-play ability.

Vinnie Iyer analysis
After a potential stumble with defensive tackle Justin Harrell in Round 1, Green Bay has redeemed itself by first adding Nebraska running back Brandon Jackson and now this underrated wide receiver from San Jose State to help Brett Favre win now.

Correspondent Analysis

A powerful, over-the-middle type who thrives on physical contact, Jones can be effective running slants and crossing routes, the team believes. He has strong hands and a strong build, but he lacks speed won't run by anyone. Jones worked his way out of a tough upbringing to become a leader. He probably will be a special teams contributor right away and a backup receiver. He will get the benefit of the doubt over guys like Ruvell Martin, Chris Francies and Carlyle Holiday, but he must show he can handle the playbook right away.



Career statistics

Receiving Rushing
Team Rec. Yds. Avg. TD Rec./TD Att. Yds. Avg. TD
'03 San Jose St. 1 8 8.0 0 — 0 0 0.0 0
'04 San Jose St. 25 317 12.7 1 25.0 5 10 2.0 0
'05 San Jose St. 30 278 9.3 1 30.0 8 48 6.0 0
'06 San Jose St. 70 893 12.8 10 7.0 11 87 7.9 1
Totals 126 1496 11.9 12 10.5 24 145 6.0 1

[RashanGary]

I'm going to love it if this kid comes out and shuts all of these haters up. NOthing will stop these people from doing it again next year though. A bunch of these guys will probably pan out and next year you'll have the same group of people complainging like they know enough to complain.

It's humorous but it's bordering on rediculous lately.

[BallHawk]

I'm going to love it if this kid comes out and shuts all of these haters up. NOthing will stop these people from doing it again next year though. A bunch of these guys will probably pan out and next year you'll have the same group of people complainging like they know enough to complain.

It's humorous but it's bordering on rediculous lately.

They didn't eat crow on Jennings, so why start now?

The clowns will never show weakness.

[Fritz]

"There's a lot of guys that don't run fast but just know how to play. He's very coachable. He's just a football player."

I really like this part.


Much better than "He's a basketball player", or "He's a soccer player", or He's a baseball player"... :roll:

How true, RetailGuy. Also better than "he's just a guy," or, in Ahmad Carroll's case, "he's an asshat."

[Scott Campbell]

“There’s all different types of receivers,” Schneider said, “and he fits the mold of a power receiver: drops his hips, run after the catch, takes the ball out of the air, he’s aggressive to the ball. Those are the things that stood out to us. When you watch him play -- I’m sure people had (his 40 at) a certain range, low 4.5s to high 4.5s -- but he has very good game tempo. That’s what attracted us.”


This is the type of analysis that separates the draftniks from the professionals. You don't get this type of insight from reading your draft magazines, or having a subscription to ScoutsInc. You only know this from watching countless hours of tape on a guy, and having an incredible NFL position IQ - in this case WR.

Many of the people here at PackerRats are probably within the top 5% of all fans in terms of knowledge of the game and players. And many here know they know more than most, and it upsets them to think what they "know" about a player might be wrong. Especially after all the work they put into preparing for the draft.

But when compared with real NFL talent evaluators, I'm afraid were all pretty much at the "just a guy" level of proficiency.

[RashanGary]

When compared with real NFL talent evaluators, I'm afraid were all pretty much at the "just a guy" level of proficiency.

I agree.

[falco]

When compared with real NFL talent evaluators, I'm afraid were all pretty much at the "just a guy" level of proficiency.

I agree.

I always wondered why I was never in the running to replace Mike Sherman as GM.

[MJZiggy]

All things considered, you should have applied...

[mngolf19]

All things considered, you should have applied...

You should have applied. Your not, "just a guy". :)

[esoxx]

I'm going to love it if this kid comes out and shuts all of these haters up.

Me too.

[MJZiggy]

All things considered, you should have applied...

You should have applied. Your not, "just a guy". :)

Well you do have a point there. This is one occupation where there may still be a glass ceiling, though.

[esoxx]

The clowns will never show weakness.

Clowns?

See, this is the type of name calling and rhetoric that others have mentioned when discussing the fevered "TT can do no wrong" supporters in here. I don't see the need to call others clowns, idiots, lunatics, etc... but that's exactly what I've been seeing in here all too often lately. That's JSO style posting.

[retailguy]

The clowns will never show weakness.

Clowns?

See, this is the type of name calling and rhetoric that others have mentioned when discussing the fevered "TT can do no wrong" supporters in here. I don't see the need to call others clowns, idiots, lunatics, etc... but that's exactly what I've been seeing in here all too often lately. That's JSO style posting.

I agree esoxx but this is what happens if you disagree with the majority opinion. No one can find where I've said one negative thing about James Jones, yet because I've weighed in with a little satire, now we get the

"can't wait to prove the haters wrong".

Whatever. :roll:

[woodbuck27]

Kid's come a pretty long way considering he grew up in a variety of homeless shelters, living on food stamps.

Is he our 2007 Donald Driver?

[retailguy]

Kid's come a pretty long way considering he grew up in a variety of homeless shelters, living on food stamps.

Is he our 2007 Donald Driver?


Could be, there is some real promise here. Course it took Driver about 4 years to develop.... so it'll take time.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I agree esoxx but this is what happens if you disagree with the majority opinion. No one can find where I've said one negative thing about James Jones, yet because I've weighed in with a little satire, now we get the

"can't wait to prove the haters wrong".

Whatever. :roll:

Boo Hoo! If your posts are 95% negative, it doesn't matter that you aren't ripping Thompson tank style. Whatever. Way to play both sides. If Jones sucks, you can say Thompson is terrible. If he does well, you can say I never said one negative thing about him.

How should I read this?



No Moss, No T.O., No KJ, please!

Agreed, we've got James Jones! :shock: :wink:

[BallHawk]

The clowns will never show weakness.

Clowns?

See, this is the type of name calling and rhetoric that others have mentioned when discussing the fevered "TT can do no wrong" supporters in here. I don't see the need to call others clowns, idiots, lunatics, etc... but that's exactly what I've been seeing in here all too often lately. That's JSO style posting.

I'm calling the "analysts" on ESPN clowns, not the posters.

[4and12to12and4]

"Thompson badly needs to upgrade a pedestrian receiving corps behind starters Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, and he could have used a higher pick in that quest. Besides not selecting a receiver in the first round, he decided not to spend his second-round pick, No. 47 overall, on USC’s Steve Smith, opting instead to trade back. Then, with the early third-round pick obtained in the deal, No. 78 overall, he made Jones the 14th receiver off the board in the receiver-rich draft."

Ummm, this was not a receiver rich draft, IMHO. After Mr. Georgia Tech was off the board, I was unimpressed with ANY of the other receivers, in terms of choosing them in the first round. Meachum would've been way overpayed and overhyped had we gone after him. Maybe I'm wrong, it's difficult to say which receivers and running backs will be studs in the NFL. I'm glad TT waits til the later rounds to pick these skill positions, because it's too risky unless a Reggie Bush is out there.

They are saying almost the exact same things they said about Jerry Rice when he was drafted. He came from nowhere, and all the scouts said he didn't have enough speed. Time will tell. At least we don't have to pay him 2.5 million dollars a year because he is a 1st rounder.

[falco]

I agree esoxx but this is what happens if you disagree with the majority opinion. No one can find where I've said one negative thing about James Jones, yet because I've weighed in with a little satire, now we get the

"can't wait to prove the haters wrong".

Whatever. :roll:

RG, you're the definition of the pot calling the kettle black.

[retailguy]

I agree esoxx but this is what happens if you disagree with the majority opinion. No one can find where I've said one negative thing about James Jones, yet because I've weighed in with a little satire, now we get the

"can't wait to prove the haters wrong".

Whatever. :roll:

Boo Hoo! If your posts are 95% negative, it doesn't matter that you aren't ripping Thompson tank style. Whatever. Way to play both sides. If Jones sucks, you can say Thompson is terrible. If he does well, you can say I never said one negative thing about him.

How should I read this?



No Moss, No T.O., No KJ, please!

Agreed, we've got James Jones! :shock: :wink:

Harvey, you'll read it however you choose, and won't be the least bit interested in the explanation, but here goes:

Plenty of people were whining on here after the draft related to the "reach" of James Jones. I, personally, think he was taken a round too high, but, I don't think he was the "epic" reach that the majority opinion was at the time.

When OPF make his comment in frustration of not having a veteran WR join the team, which one could make a claim that we need, I was jokingly pointing out that we got two WR's, and one is being heralded as a reach.

FWIW, I think Jones could develop into a player, but the odds are he WON'T contribute much in 2007. We did need a WR to CONTRIBUTE in 2007, so, we'll see if we've got one on the roster...

[retailguy]

I agree esoxx but this is what happens if you disagree with the majority opinion. No one can find where I've said one negative thing about James Jones, yet because I've weighed in with a little satire, now we get the

"can't wait to prove the haters wrong".

Whatever. :roll:

RG, you're the definition of the pot calling the kettle black.

The kettle is black, and so is the pot... my point holds true.

We'll see how accurate I am in my predicting. I don't see this as a competitive team in 2007. I could be wrong, and hope that I am.

I'm just tired of having my words twisted and turned and brought back out of context because I don't share the majority opinion. Wait until it happens to you... UNLESS you always have the majority opinion? In that case you'll NEVER have to worry about being a "target".:wink:

[retailguy]

So... there ya go Harvey. I've now weighed in on James Jones.

Could be a player, but most likely not a significant contributor in 2007... So, if he fizzles, I guess I can't say I told you so... huh? :roll:

[MJZiggy]

I agree esoxx but this is what happens if you disagree with the majority opinion. No one can find where I've said one negative thing about James Jones, yet because I've weighed in with a little satire, now we get the

"can't wait to prove the haters wrong".

Whatever. :roll:

RG, you're the definition of the pot calling the kettle black.

The kettle is black, and so is the pot... my point holds true.

We'll see how accurate I am in my predicting. I don't see this as a competitive team in 2007. I could be wrong, and hope that I am.

I'm just tired of having my words twisted and turned and brought back out of context because I don't share the majority opinion. Wait until it happens to you... UNLESS you always have the majority opinion? In that case you'll NEVER have to worry about being a "target".:wink:

You sure you don't HOLD the majority opinion? Best I can tell, if you don't, it's a split decision. Besides, you know I think the whole idea of the "majority opinion," etc. is crap.

[retailguy]

You sure you don't HOLD the majority opinion? Best I can tell, if you don't, it's a split decision. Besides, you know I think the whole idea of the "majority opinion," etc. is crap.


I'm positive I don't hold the "majority" opinion. You've been clear about that, and so have I... We will just have to "agree" to disagree", I guess.

One day, you will experience it. I'd have agreed with you 3 short months ago.

[Bretsky]

From the Packers over .500 poll and then the Packers playoffs poll I'd be pretty confident both RG and I are in the minority.

I hope we're both wrong in 07.

[Scott Campbell]

The offseason is generally the time of year when every team's fans can be optomistic. So yeah, I'd say the "We're Gonna Suck" guys are in the minority position. Though if we start 0-4, I'll be there right along with them.

[Rastak]

The offseason is generally the time of year when every team's fans can be optomistic. So yeah, I'd say the "We're Gonna Suck" guys are in the minority position. Though if we start 0-4, I'll be there right along with them.


Yuppers. It's funny how it works for most of us but I was depressed as hell about the Vikings season and the prospects for next year. A crap FA class didn't help me feel any better. BUT, what I think was a very good draft has me fired up once again. Now I admit, Chilly might fuck it all up ROYAL and they may lose 12 games but I'm not concerned with that right now. I AM optimistic....


until they are 0-4 then I'll be pissing and moaning about everything.


The same stuff can be said about the Packers.....