Dane Brugler at The Athletic (their draft guy) is taking an early look at some draft positions. In his safety review, he ranks Brandon Jones as the 4th best safety. For what it's worth, Grant Delpit with LSU is his far and away first ranked safety prospect.
***NOTE: I CAN'T UPLOAD THE VIDEO FROM THE SITE SO YOU'LL HAVE TO GO TO THE ATHLETIC TO SEE THE PLAYS DESCRIBED BELOW...I ALSO WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHERE HE GETS THE ALL-22 FILM***
4. Brandon Jones, senior, Texas (5-11, 202)
Best trait: Aggressive pursuit
The heartbeat of the Texas defense, Jones flies around the field in search of his next victim. If the chance is there for a de-cleating hit, he will take advantage, judging speed and striking with authority. There are times his aggressiveness will work against him, but there is no doubt that his relentless mindset directly translates to production.
This play from the USC-Texas showdown last September proved to be a turning point in the game. With USC up 14-13 in the second quarter, the Trojans bypass a field goal and go for it on 4th-and-1 from the 1-yard line. However, excellent team defense by Texas forces the turnover on downs, led by Jones (No. 19), who shows better-than-expected open-field acceleration and beats the ballcarrier to the corner. The Longhorns then went a 24-0 run to earn the 37-14 victory.
Must improve: Making plays on the ball
After a study of his tape, it wasn’t surprising to see that Jones tallied only three passes defended last season. He is a good-looking athlete with enough speed to run with receivers, but Jones often struggles to locate the football and disrupt the catch point.
This clip from the USC game illustrates that point. Jones (lined up on the near hash) stays compact in his pedal and opens his hips to stay in stride with the corner route by the slot receiver. Jones undercuts the catch point but misjudges the football and is late to leap. What should be an interception, or at least a pass breakup, results in a 41-yard pass play for USC.
2019 season/2020 NFL Draft outlook
Along with true sophomore Caden Sterns, Jones makes up one of the best safety tandems in college football. Despite playing through a high ankle sprain most of last season, he posted 70 tackles and two interceptions as a junior and likely would have been a Day 2 draft pick had he not elected to return for his senior season in Austin.
Jones is an easy prospect to like because of his all-around skill set. He is quick to react and accelerate once he smells blood, arriving with authority. His aggressive nature works against him at times, and he must be more productive with the ball in the air, but Jones plays with the toughness, athleticism and smarts to compete for starting reps in the NFL.
***NOTE: I CAN'T UPLOAD THE VIDEO FROM THE SITE SO YOU'LL HAVE TO GO TO THE ATHLETIC TO SEE THE PLAYS DESCRIBED BELOW...I ALSO WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHERE HE GETS THE ALL-22 FILM***
4. Brandon Jones, senior, Texas (5-11, 202)
Best trait: Aggressive pursuit
The heartbeat of the Texas defense, Jones flies around the field in search of his next victim. If the chance is there for a de-cleating hit, he will take advantage, judging speed and striking with authority. There are times his aggressiveness will work against him, but there is no doubt that his relentless mindset directly translates to production.
This play from the USC-Texas showdown last September proved to be a turning point in the game. With USC up 14-13 in the second quarter, the Trojans bypass a field goal and go for it on 4th-and-1 from the 1-yard line. However, excellent team defense by Texas forces the turnover on downs, led by Jones (No. 19), who shows better-than-expected open-field acceleration and beats the ballcarrier to the corner. The Longhorns then went a 24-0 run to earn the 37-14 victory.
Must improve: Making plays on the ball
After a study of his tape, it wasn’t surprising to see that Jones tallied only three passes defended last season. He is a good-looking athlete with enough speed to run with receivers, but Jones often struggles to locate the football and disrupt the catch point.
This clip from the USC game illustrates that point. Jones (lined up on the near hash) stays compact in his pedal and opens his hips to stay in stride with the corner route by the slot receiver. Jones undercuts the catch point but misjudges the football and is late to leap. What should be an interception, or at least a pass breakup, results in a 41-yard pass play for USC.
2019 season/2020 NFL Draft outlook
Along with true sophomore Caden Sterns, Jones makes up one of the best safety tandems in college football. Despite playing through a high ankle sprain most of last season, he posted 70 tackles and two interceptions as a junior and likely would have been a Day 2 draft pick had he not elected to return for his senior season in Austin.
Jones is an easy prospect to like because of his all-around skill set. He is quick to react and accelerate once he smells blood, arriving with authority. His aggressive nature works against him at times, and he must be more productive with the ball in the air, but Jones plays with the toughness, athleticism and smarts to compete for starting reps in the NFL.
