Miami Dolphins go with a safety with a ‘thumper’s heart’ at pick No. 70
Brian Flores loves defensive backs.
And he loved Texas safety Brandon Jones enough for the Dolphins to take him in the third round, even though Jones is coming off a shoulder injury that kept him from participating in the NFL Scouting Combine.
But he didn’t sit idly by. Instead ...
“Yo #Dolphins, y’all just got yourself a tough, physical, uber intelligent safety in Brandon Jones!” ESPN analyst Emmanuel Acho wrote on Twitter. “The dude literally studied every #NFL defensive playbook this offseason during his combine training!”
Jones (5-11, 198) is versatile player who lined up at all three safety spots in Austin. He was a second-team all-conference pick as a senior after recording 86 tackles, a sack, two interceptions, four pass breakups in 12 games.
“I don’t like anything to get in my way,” Jones said. “I’m kind of stubborn with injuries. I’m going to give it all until I can’t go anymore. ... Injuries don’t stop me.”
He joins a new-look secondary that includes big free-agent signing Byron Jones and first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene.
Wrote NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein:
“He’s got a thumper’s heart but doesn’t have the frame to carry the pop necessary to handle that role. While Jones played boundary, field, and nickel safety position at Texas, he’ll likely be pegged as a two-deep or single-high free safety due to man coverage limitations but above-average speed. He plays with good urgency and has soft hands, but just average instincts, which limited his ball production. He could get pushed up a round if he’s a big tester. He has third-safety potential and offers early help on special teams.
This story was originally published April 24, 2020 at 10:10 PM.
