Datone Jones at #25 wouldn't shock me

kearly

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I'd hate it, but I could see it.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-combine/0 ... competitor

First, Jones gives a pretty good interview, and in that interview, he's sure to mention the word "competitor", a major buzzword for Pete Carroll. Remember that interviews are a major factor for how players get drafted, and Seattle did interview Jones at the combine.

Second, Jones has shitty tape, but he is probably the best pure athlete at DT in this draft. I'm not going to count Ansah because Datone Jones looks like Geno Atkins compared to Ansah inside. Ansah will be a DE or 3-4 OLB in the NFL. The video shows two 4.84's, but his official time was actually faster: 4.80. Only one other DT posted an official forty time under 5 seconds, and that was future UDFA Nick Williams of Samford, who ran a 4.94. Edit: Shariff Floyd also had a 4.92.

Just as importantly, perhaps moreso, is how Jones ran that 40. He is a smooth and natural runner. You watch the gifted runners like Denard Robinson and Tavon Austin and the first thing you notice is how smooth their athleticism is. Jones may not be that fast, but he's similarly smooth, which is pretty rare for a defensive tackle to be that fluid.

Then you watch Jones working the drills (in that video), and again, smooth, natural athleticism. Rare smooth. And remember, this FO grades by athleticism first when sorting their draft board. They grade for athleticism before grading for anything else.

And the thing is, Pete Carroll doesn't seem to care too much if you have great tape. Bruce Irvin was talented but highly undeveloped. Golden Tate was more of a running back than a WR. Richard Sherman had just converted to CB from WR two years prior. JR Sweezy wasn't even an offensive lineman. And so on.

Basically, Pete wants unique athletes that are teachable and driven to be successful. I don't know about you, but I think Datone Jones checks all three of those boxes.

That might end up working at some positions great and horribly at others, but hey, two of the best DTs to come out in recent years were both 4th round picks who didn't walk into the league as finished products.

I'd still hate the pick, but then again, I'm the guy that would have cut Golden Tate after the 2011 preseason. He looked hopelessly awful. And now just two regular seasons later, he looks like a fringe #1, a breakout star masked by an offense that spreads the football around. So hey, if it does happen, don't hate the pick just because I do. I think Pete's earned our trust on this one.
 

Waterhawk1

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Russ Landy loves Jones. He spoke with Dave "Softy " on KJR 950 in Seattle yesterday and says, "He is a tweener, between a DL and DE you can shift
him anywhere". Dave asked if he would fit into Pete's system and he said "yes", very much so. Below is the podcast, he had other interesting tidbits on
the Hawks and draftees the Hawks are looking at.

http://www.sportsradiokjr.com/cc-common ... _22754.mp3
 

theENGLISHseahawk

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I still can't get over Lande maintaining Ryan Nassib as the #1 prospect in this draft. That's bat-shit crazy.

I don't think Jones' tape is that bad personally. The more I've watched the more positive I feel about him. He's definitely a tweener and that's going to be the big issue -- where does he fit? But teams like New York love guys like that and I'm beginning to think he might even struggle to make it to #25.
 

sutz

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Pete does love his "tweeners" who can play multiple positions in different situations.

:229031_shrug:
 

aawolf

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Going by the "best athelete" standard, Pete probably has Tavon Austin as #1 on his draft board--kid can do anything, but is not great at any one thing. Jordan Hill and Simon are two d-linemen, who you have mentioned in the past, that impress me more with their athleticism and I hope we take either of them before Dotane Jones. I'm just not impressed with him. We could do worse though, I guess.
 

Scottemojo

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Jason Jones had a 10 yard split of 1.59 at his combine.
Datone Jones had a split of 1.63. Not bad.

Every time I wonder if they would commit a first round pick to a pass rushing DT, the Irvin pick jumps out, so yeah, I could see this happening.
 

ivotuk

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Man, I don't know what it is but I just don't like this guy. Something about his personality scares me. When he said he was going to "play like a maniac," that is a warning sign because a confident athlete doesn't need to talk himself up. That, and where was he the previous years? Sure he had Neuheisel coaching, but was Datone part of the problem? Where was Jones when the seniors went over the wall? I would like him in the 2nd or 3rd, but not the first. And certainly not over Kawaan or DeAndre Hopkins.
 

HunnyBadger

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I just can't get excited about Datone Jones in the 1st round. I'd rather get BPA for WR/TE or WILL at #25.
 

General Manager

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It wouldn't surprise me . Pete recruited him from Comton he knows him and has had at least two meetings with him going back to the Senior Bowl. I wouldn't hate the pick but i'd much rather they take a WR who will be good than a DE/T that might be good.
 

Recon_Hawk

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Jim Mora was on KJR yesterday and had a lot of good things to say about Jones. Called him a passionate player who loves football and viewed him as a 3/4 end who was disruptive against guards when he play DT in their nickel package. He saw it as a good fit/pick at #25, for what it's worth. It's a good listen if you get the chance

http://www.sportsradiokjr.com/cc-common ... _21894.mp3
 

lukerguy

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Irvin actually had pretty incredible tape for someone who just learned the position a few years prior. I don't mean that he had great technique but you could see he was a great athlete and could wreak havoc in the back field. My problem with Datone Jones is that I NEVER see him wreak havoc in the back field. I want disruptive players, and I can't see that from Datone Jones.
 

lukerguy

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ivotuk":20i3hilx said:
Man, I don't know what it is but I just don't like this guy. Something about his personality scares me. When he said he was going to "play like a maniac," that is a warning sign because a confident athlete doesn't need to talk himself up. That, and where was he the previous years? Sure he had Neuheisel coaching, but was Datone part of the problem? Where was Jones when the seniors went over the wall? I would like him in the 2nd or 3rd, but not the first. And certainly not over Kawaan or DeAndre Hopkins.

I agree. This is one player I just can't get behind...and I'm not sure it's fair saying PC/JS don't care about bad tape, because I don't think that's true.
 
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kearly

kearly

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They do care about it, but it's down the list of priorities. Schneider talked about his process in a recent interview/press conference. Athleticism and team fit come first, IIRC.
 

billio155

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From the two videos posted in the article, it looks like he is an arm tackler...which is weird for a guy his size. Also, he gets good penetration often, but once he's through he pops his head up and looks for the ball....and that takes him out of the play. He reminds me a lot of Irvin...good athleticism but raw instincts. I'm sure he can be coached up though.
 
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