49ers NFL Draft 2021: 3 edge rushers to target in Round 2
By Peter Panacy
49ers EDGE Target No. 3: Patrick Jones II, Pitt
Pitt EDGE Patrick Jones II is a bit of a wild card, both in terms of his capabilities at the NFL level and also when he’ll end up being selected on draft day. Some have a Round 2 grade on him, while others peg him going no higher than the fourth round.
At 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, Jones has the physique ideal for a capable rusher within the pro ranks. And while there are some concerns about his motor and aggressiveness, the production was there for Jones the last two years with the Panthers:
| Tackles | Def Int | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | Int | Yds | Avg | TD | PD | FR | Yds | TD | FF |
| 2017 | Pitt | ACC | FR | DL | 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| *2018 | Pitt | ACC | SO | DL | 13 | 15 | 7 | 22 | 7.0 | 3.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
| *2019 | Pitt | ACC | JR | DL | 11 | 25 | 16 | 41 | 11.5 | 8.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | |||
| 2020 | Pitt | ACC | SR | DL | 11 | 24 | 18 | 42 | 12.5 | 9.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | |||
| Career | Pitt | 67 | 45 | 112 | 32.0 | 21.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference
Generated 4/8/2021.
Our friends over at With the First Pick highlighted some of Jones’ best attributes:
"His combination of explosiveness, athleticism, and strength make him highly effective working into gaps or up the arc and into the backfield. Jones is dynamic in the lower half and shows good bend when he can establish himself with speed up the arc. He is a very disruptive player who understands how to counter linemen and is quick to ID runners. His effectiveness in both the run and pass game comes due to his processing skills and strength/speed combo. He’s also extremely quick working out of his stance and understands how to test linemans’ pass sets early by working up the arc quickly."
Jones’ 5.04 40-yard time at his pro day suggests good enough speed. And while that’s not necessarily in the elite category, he does have the bend and physique to get behind blockers when his technique is on point.
The problem, however, is Jones’ technique and versatility are limited. His array of pass-rushing moves isn’t too deep right now, and it’s likely he’ll have to spend some time honing his skills here and probably won’t be anything more than a situational pass-rusher for the first year or two of his career.
But if he can up his motor and vary his pass-rushing arsenal, Jones could turn into a quality outside rusher within due time.