Through the first nine games of his NFL career, New England Patriots rookie cornerback Jack Jones has shown not only does he belong in the league, but he can excel in it, too.
Jones has been a surprising contributor to the team's secondary given that the Patriots didn't draft him until the fourth round at No. 121 overall. Players taken in that area aren't usually immediate playmakers.
But Jones has bucked that trend, recording 24 tackles and two interceptions, one of which went for a touchdown off a pass from Aaron Rodgers, to go along with five passes defended, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
As of right now, the Patriots definitely hit on this draft pick as the play of Jones certainly caught ESPN's attention with its panel placing him seventh when they put together their rankings of the NFL's best rookies at the midway point of the regular season.
"Who would have thought that Jones, a fourth-round draft pick, would be a seamless replacement for premier free agent J.C. Jackson in New England? Well, Patriots coach Bill Belichick, for one," ESPN's Matt Miller wrote. "Jones has been a rock star as a nickel cornerback and is the Patriots' long-term future at the position. When teams target him in coverage, they have minus-11.9 expected points added, which trails just Gardner among rookie corners (NFL Next Gen Stats)."
The recognition for Jones is no fluke as the Arizona State product is also highly graded by Pro Football Focus.
He's been by far the best player from New England's rookie class with first-round pick Cole Strange dealing with getting benched and Tyquan Thornton being limited due to injury.
Jones certainly possesses the physical skill set to develop into a star, which he displayed with an athletic interception along the boundary in a Week 5 win over the Detroit Lions, while also having the confidence needed to be a playmaker in the secondary.
He should be a difference-maker for the Patriots over the years to come, but first, he'll have to make sure to avoid the rookie wall and not fade over the second half of the season.
