The 2016 NFL Draft is a little more than a month away, and every NFL franchise is leaving no stoned unturned as they look to add impact players to their roster through the draft.
Since the end of the 2015 NFL regular season, there has been plenty of talk and speculation as to which players will land where in the first round of the draft, but many tend to forget that impact playmakers are found throughout the draft, with some even going undrafted. One player that has been drawing attention in the lead-up to the 2016 NFL Draft, but isn't expected to be a first round prospect, is Auburn cornerback Jonathan Jones.
The Auburn corner is reportedly drawing interest from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals and Detroit Lions, and he is scheduled to visit with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Listed at 5-foot-9, 186-pounds, Jones lacks the size that many NFL franchises are looking for in tall corners, but he had an impressive All-SEC 2014 season. The Tigers corner's play dropped off in his senior season, which likely dropped his draft stock.
In 2014, Jones recorded 36 total tackles, six interceptions and nine passes defended, and despite playing through foot injury all season last year, he recorded 69 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and 13 passes defended. The Auburn corner is projected to land between the fourth and sixth round in the 2016 NFL Draft, and he could make a strong addition with any of the teams listed above.
Both the Lions and Buccaneers are trying to improve their secondary this offseason, and if they decide to fill other needs on their roster in the first three rounds of the draft, keep an eye on Jones, as either franchise could look to target him from the fourth round on. The Steelers and Cardinals are also looking to bolster their secondary, and while Jones may not give the immediate impact they are looking for, he has the ability to develop into starter in the league.
It will be interesting to see where Jones falls in the draft, as he has strengths that could lead teams to reach on him early but also weaknesses that could scare some teams away. The Tigers corner struggled in run support in the SEC, but he proved his ability to match quick receivers with his speed and is a man cover specialist. Jones was a 110-meter hurdles national high school champion, and his athleticism could lead a team to select him in the mid-rounds of the draft.
