Daniel Jones is Apparently Skyrocketing Up NFL Draft Boards
The NFL seemed to have broken the mold of what a “prototypical” quarterback looks like and things looked up for the smaller guys on the gridiron. Drew Brees and Russell Wilson definitely helped, but Baker Mayfield and, presumably, Kyler Murray seemed to solidify the fact that size doesn’t matter at QB anymore.
But for every step forward some GMs and coaches and franchise take, others like to pull us back into the prehistoric shadows from whence we came. Which brings us to Daniel Jones.
Jones, Duke’s former quarterback, looks every bit the part of NFL star. The size (6’5″, 220 pounds) is there. So is the speed (4.81 40-yard dash). And the smarts (see: Duke) too. Which is why, apparently, he’s rising so fast on draft boards.
Prepare for #Duke QB Daniel Jones to go much earlier in the draft than most expect.
— Evan Silva (@evansilva) April 16, 2019
Here, @MoveTheSticks mocks Jones at No. 6 overall to the #Giants: https://t.co/NC2W0Jh5I8
The Giants at No. 6 seem like the perfect place for Jones. He can learn under Eli Manning, much like Manning learned under Kurt Warner (people forget that) before assuming the starting role. He can also see over the Giants’ massive offensive line and evade the quick pass rushers attacking him from all angles.
There’s only one problem. Jones doesn’t have the pedigree of Manning. A month ago, Jones was viewed as a first- or second-round pick. Now he’s in the Top 10? That’s a mighty big jump for someone who played at devoid-of-NFL-talent Duke.
We can equate this to an initial undervaluation. Or we can call a spade a spade and realize his “prototypical QB size” is exciting GMs in the NFL.
Here’s the overview of Jones from NFL.com.
" Three-year starter who operates with a rare level of quality mechanics coming from the college game. Jones doesn’t have special arm talent, but he can make pro throws and has the ability to attack deep with accuracy. He completed just 59.9 percent of his career passes, but his receivers — who dropped 38 passes this year alone — really struggled to get open at times. Jones has good football IQ and is relatively mobile, but he appears to be more of a game manager than “franchise” talent. He’s more of a Day 2 draft pick than Day 1. "