Kansas City Chiefs Rookie Profile: Chris Jones
The second clip is from the final three minutes of the game. Look at how quick Jones gets off the line of scrimmage. He may not get to the quarterback, but he was able to get that explosion off the line even at the end of the game.
That’s elite speed off the snap for a man that’s 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds, especially at the very end of a game. So was this a fluke? Unfortunately, it was common when watching Jones’ game tape. Just to prove my case here’s another example, this time from his game against Ole Miss.
This first clip is from early in the second quarter. Look at the absolute lack of effort on Jones part on the second half of this play when he could of had a chance to bring down the scrambling quarterback.
Then there’s this clip from later in the third quarter of the same game. He absolutely embarrasses the guard he’s lined up against and drops the running back for a loss. It’s another display of the elite physical upside that Jones possesses.
You can find plays like this in every game Jones plays. There is no question that Jones possesses the ability to be an elite playmaker in the NFL. If he gave great effort on every snap (and for the entire play) I think Jones may have been the first defensive tackle taken.
It’s that lack of effort on some plays and giving up on a play before its over that scared some teams away. I think for where KC drafted him there is amazing upside and if they can get consistent effort out of him he could be one of the steals of the entire draft.
You’ve seen Jones ability in a couple of the clips above to explode off the line of scrimmage and penetrate into the backfield. The other question that is vital to success in KC’s defense is his ability to hold up at the point of attack and stop the run. So let’s take a moment and address that.
Next: Can Jones stop the run?