Marcus Jones
CB Houston 5-8 174 SR #8
GRADE: 83 OVR RANK: 64 POS RANK: (CB) 8
ARM LENGTH: 28 7/8″ // HAND SIZE: 8 7/8″
40YD: ( %) // 10YD: ( %) // VJ: ( %) // BJ: ( %)
BP: ( %) // SS: ( %)// 3C: ( %)
Projection: Immediate starting slot CB who may even be able to play outside in a pinch. Needs to get stronger to turn into an elite slot CB but has the tools to. Draft Projection: Day 3 ~ GrindingTheMocks.com
Ravens Fit: The Ravens released Tavon Young, and while they have candidates to replace him, they will be on the lookout for potential slot CBs in this class. Jones is a great fit and would make an interesting acquisition for a team in need of more depth at CB and a potential starter in the slot. He has all the toughness and grit they look for and he is so smooth, explosive and athletic in coverage. His struggles when jamming at the line aren’t ideal but the Ravens don’t always ask their slot CBs to do that. He could be a welcome addition to the CB room and could play outside in a pinch against non-Jamar Chase types.
Overall Fit 
4/5
Context
Mostly outside CB but also plays the slot and some Safety too.
Coverage
Plays with excellent foot speed, can match angles off the line of scrimmage with patience and processing. He is able to utilize all of his athletic ability including his explosion, his play speed, and his fluid hips to stay in phase on all types of route from the line of scrimmage into the stem. In soft-shoe press, he excels. When in press man with a jam, he can get his hands on the WR with good placement but limited play strength and struggles to disrupt the route, although his footwork is so good that he rarely gives up separation, even when his jam is beaten emphatically. In squat he can deploy his explosion to stay in phase from a standing start.
He is very good at the primary job of a Cornerback in mirroring a Wide Receiver in a confined area. He is an excellent processor and reads WRs in man coverage. He’s able to stay in phase and mirror all types of WRs on all types of route. He does this with his processing, his foot speed, and his outstanding transition and drive mechanics. He has plenty of explosion to drive on the ball and he has excellent hip fluidity to allow him to open up quickly in either direction. As he’s in phase so often, he also has good play strength at the break point, with some savvy to ensure subtle contact can disrupt the WRs break. On downfield routes, he is particularly good at flipping his hips and turning and running downfield with good speed to stay in phase with all types of competition. In Zone coverage he could improve his reading of Quarterbacks with better eye discipline.
His ball skills are paradoxical and both a strength and a weakness. When he’s able to use his explosion and processing to break on the football, he’s a dangerous defender, liable to pick the ball off and use his open field athleticism to take the ball the other way. When going backwards downfield, he can locate the football in the air and can turn and make a play on the ball as if he was a WR himself. When locked up in close contact in man coverage, he can disrupt the pass with good timing on underneath routes. However, there is a down-side to his ball skills, When facing potential back-shoulder throws and the WR gives away the intention, he doesn’t find the ball quickly enough. In genuine contested catch situations, his length, limited play strength and only adequate hand placement can hurt him in breaking up the pass. He will compete though.
Run Support and Tackling
Physical and tough way beyond his size, the play against Texas Tech when he runs to the corner to make a TD-saving play sums him up. Outstanding physical toughness, he is a solid tackler but his limited play strength can mean he struggles with open-field tackles and setting the edge as a force player.
SUMMARY
Outstanding cover CB, outside at Houston but projects to a role covering the slot. Elite movement skills, physically tough. Play strength/length deficiencies can hurt him
PRODUCTION
SR: 44 Total Tackles, 5 INTs, 12 PBUs
JR: 1 QB Hit, 30 Total Tackles, 1 INT, 5 PBUs
INJURY: Played through shoulder injuries, surgery on both post Senior year
RAVENS FIT
Athleticism 5
Intelligence 4
Versatility 4
Grit 5
Scheme 4
