AP Photo/Chris Szagola
When star cornerback J.C Jackson left the Patriots in free agency to go to the Chargers, it made a big hole in the defense. But, unfortunately, the Patriots tend to draft corners to develop them and let them go. Stephon Gilmore and Andre Tibbit are just a few more examples. Accordingly, in the third round of the draft, the Patriots drafted cornerback Marcus Jones out of Houston.
Jones started his college career at Troy, but they decided to transfer to Houston. Immediately after moving, Jones became an essential part of their defense, playing both in the slot and outside. Along the way, he racked up nine interceptions and 111 solo tackles. What makes Jones more intriguing is his value to special teams. Tying an NCAA record, he has nine touchdowns in the return game. Jones can return punts and kickoffs and has throughout his career. As you can tell, Jones provides excellent versatility and can impact all 3 phases of the game. He even had a receiving touchdown in college. Jones is an elite returner who averaged 28.8 yards per kickoff during his college career and scored six touchdowns. He will be a slot option in the NFL because of his size. His 5’8 174 stature is well below average, but his athleticism makes up for that.
Although Jones had double shoulder surgery over the off-season, he should be ready to go by week 1. He will not get the nod to start week one, but he certainly can make an impact, and with Jonathon Jones hitting free agency this off-season, the door is wide open.
Marcus will look to stand out during the pre-season games and solidify his roster spot.
My name is Ben Belford-Peltzman and I am the creator and writer of The Patriots Beat. I am a 17-year kid who is an optimistic pessimist about the City of Champions. I started The Patriots Beat in August of 2022 and never expected to grow so much but here we are. Feel free to email Thepatriotsbeat@gmail.com with any inquires.
