SI All-American Candidate Jay Jones Highlights and Evaluation

Jay Jones is a cornerback prospect from Demopolis High School in Demopolis, Ala. Jones is an SI All-American candidate.

Prospect: CB Jay Jones
Projected Position: Cornerback/Safety
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot, 189 pounds
School: Demopolis (Ala.) 
Committed to: Tennessee 

Frame: Compact and well-proportioned. Adequate width across upper body. Long, muscled arms. Tightly-wound thighs and trunk with degree of natural size. Room for more weight, but doesn’t need much. 

Athleticism: Good speed; clocked 4.59 40-yard dash at Tennessee’s camp in 2019. Adequate short-area quickness. Overall mobility somewhat limited by lack of flexibility in hips, ankles. Functional play strength. Natural hand-eye coordination. 

Instincts: Tracks ball well in air. Enough recovery speed to chase receivers vertically after falling step behind. Solid aerial body control; leaps for deflections and interceptions. Quick to diagnose and help in run game. Mostly sheds blockers with finesse. 

Polish: Inconsistent footwork and technique. Struggles mirroring receivers at LOS; needs better jam to compensate for quickness disadvantage. Slow to flip hips and run. 

Bottom Line: Jones committed to the Vols in wake of posting standout testing numbers at their 2019 camp. May not have the wiggle and flexibility to stay at corner, especially if he continues adding weight. Surefire contributor for Tennessee regardless, who’s capable of starting at cornerback or free safety depending on development.