Which Rookie is Patriots Best "Value" Pick in 2022?

Which player drafted by the New England Patriots might possess the best value for the franchise in 2022?

Every year, a team will land a "value" pick in the NFL draft. The selection usually should have heard their name called sooner, but injuries, off-the-field concerns and lack of a priority position usually cause premier prospects to fall down draft boards. 

Who is the "value" selection for the New England Patriots? Look no further than Arizona State cornerback Jack Jones, who could end up being a starter Week 1. 

Jones, New England's fourth-round pick, doesn't match the criteria of "developmental player" in terms of what teams usually find on Day 3. A three-year starter for USC and later Arizona State, Jones comes with plug-and-play experience and all the tools need to play the boundary in the pros. 

Jack Jones

Jack Jones

Jack Jones

The reality of Jones' plummeting stock goes back to the conversation above. On talent, scouts believed the 5-10, 171-pounder was one of the top 10 players at his position. The concerns came from off the field issues suffered during his time at USC.

Jones was arrested for allegedly breaking into a Panda Express restaurant in Santa Paula, California. He later plead guilty to a second-degree misdemeanor charge of commercial burglary and served 45 days of house arrest.

The incident forced Jones to leave school in 2018 after being ruled academically ineligible. He spent the rest of the year at junior college before transferring to Arizona State before the start of the 2019 season. 

"I’m going to focus on my job and I’m going to control what I can control going forward,” Jones said after being asked about the incident. “I’m looking to be the best teammate I could be and help the Patriots out anywhere that I can.”

Even three years removed from the situation, Jones is followed by his past mistakes. And yes, that did play a factor into his draft-day tumble even though there hasn't been a reported incident during his time in Tempe. 

From a production standpoint, Jones is one of two cornerbacks who could exponential reps on the perimeter in Bill Belichick's man-based system. The Patriots are in need of another boundary following the loss of the J.C. Jackson to the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency. 

Outside of his frame, there's little reason to believe Jones can't find a way to be successful on the edge for New England opposite likely Malcolm Butler or Terrance Mitchell. Of his 1,305 career snaps with the Sun Devils, 1,182 came from the outside. 

Production wise, Jones should compete for first-team reps right away. In three seasons with the Sun Devils, he recorded 39 pass breakups and 10 interceptions in 52 games. He also started 22 games, the most of any defensive back at the program prior to his departure.  

"That’s what happens with some of these highly touted recruits," Patriots director of player personnel Matt Groh said. "We’ve spent a lot of time with Jack to try and get comfortable and understand the different situations that he’s felt, and feel good about kind of getting to know him and understanding those situations to have a process in place to be able to add him to our program.”

Jack Jones

Jack Jones

Jack Jones

Third-round pick Marcus Jones should find a home in the slot and on special teams. Outside of Jonathan Jones, who also primarily lines up inside, the cornerback room is an open contest. Mitchell was inconsistent with the Houston Texans in 2021. Jalen Mills still needs to develop back from his time at safety with Philadelphia. 

Jack Jones' experience and production in college likely would have made him a top-50 selection. Instead, concerns away from football made him fall to the Patriots outside the first 100 picks. 

This isn't to say that Jack Jones will instantly be the next Jackson, but the value of the pick is promising. He'll have the chance to fix New England's secondary in an instant. 

One might not be able to say the same about others Belichick drafted earlier.