From now until the 2024 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Boston college cornerback Elijah Jones.
#1 ELIJAH JONES, CB, BOSTON COLLEGE (GS) — 6014, 185 lbs.
Combine/Pro Day
Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Elijah Jones | 6014/185 | 9 1/4″ | 31 1/2″ | 76″ |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.44 | 1.54 | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 10’11” | 42.5″ | N/A |
The Good
— Good height, speed and athleticism
— Experience inside and outside
— Played in both man and zone schemes
— Good ball production over his career
— Disruptive at the catch point
— Solid zone awareness and gets downhill quickly
— Wrap up tackler/limits yards after contact
— Can contribute to the run game defense
The Bad
— A little light/room to add play strength
— Jam at line of scrimmage a bit clunky
— In off coverage, instinct is to grab receiver
— Some hip tightness/slow in his transitions
— Struggles to disengage from blockers
— Makes business decisions to stay away on some tackle opportunities
— Doesn’t attack screens
— Arm length is a little less that the team might like on the outside
Bio
— Career: 156 tackles, 132 solo, 4 TFL, 1 sack, 7 INT, 36 PBU, 2 FF
— 2023: 25 tackles, 18 solo, 5 INT, 8 PBU, 1 FF
— 2023 All-ACC First team
— 60 games, 34 starts
— Missed final four games of 2023 for personal reasons
— Also ran track in high school
— Pursuing a master’s degree in the Woods College of Advancing Studies
— Senior Bowl invitee
Tape Breakdown
Elijah Jones is of good height with solid weight and length. His overall athleticism is good with speed and explosive numbers. For Boston College, he played inside and outside on both sides of the field and was used in multiple coverages.
Against the pass, when in press man coverage he displays good patience, balance and pad level to match the receiver release. When jamming, he shows solid physicality to disrupt the release. He has good acceleration and gets up to speed quickly. In trail coverage, he is solid mirroring the receiver and is good contesting catches. In Cover 3, he has good awareness of receiver in his area and gets good depth, and when in zone underneath, he displays solid spacing and change of direction to get downhill quickly.
Thirty-six career pass break ups aren’t by accident. Here are a bunch of them for your viewing.
Getting depth in Cover 3, he reads the quarterback and breaks on the inside route.
Within the route, Jones uses his hands well to keep the receivers hands off of him. At the catch point, he is good at getting his hands in the catch area and fighting through the receivers hands. He has ball hawk tendencies and good hands when the interception opportunity is present. When needed, he shows speed to catch up to receivers with an early step on him.
Jones reads the receiver, finds the ball and highpoints it for the interception.
Against the run, Jones is capable. He can function as the force player on the outside and can fill gaps to make tackles inside. When tackling, he gets low and wraps up to limit yards after contact and is solid tackling in space.
He is capable of supporting the run and wraps up ball carriers well.
Jamming while in press coverage was not overly common in his play and could use some finetuning. In off man coverage, Jones’ first instinct is to grab at the break point, and he drew a few flags in the games watched. His transition from his backpedal is a bit labored when matching inbreaking routes.
The flags fly on this play as he grabs the receiver at the break point.
Jones struggles to get off blocks to make his way to the ball carrier. Against screens, he let’s others attack the blockers and lays back. There were plays where he had an opportunity to make a tackle and he decided against getting involved.
This is why I said he can support the run. On the first play, with a chance to make a tackle at the 5-yard line he goes to two-hand touch. On the second play, he’s in position to make a play on the run but pulls up leading to a big gain.
Conclusion
Overall, Jones has good height, speed and athleticism with solid weight and length. He was used in man and zone coverages and was disruptive at the catch point. He was solid in press man and zone coverages. Against the run, he is capable of being a contributor and is a wrap up tackler.
Areas to improve include his spacing in zone, adding strength to be more physical with his jam and refraining from grabbing the receiver at the break point. Fully committing to helping versus the run and improving block deconstruction will help his game.
Jones was a fun player to watch. His improvement from his 2022 tape to 2023 was evident being less grabby, more consistent reading the receivers break and participating in the run game. I’m a little surprised I haven’t heard more about him in this pre-draft process. The ability to play inside and outside is a plus, and he does get his hands on the ball. The run support was inconsistent though.
If the Steelers don’t get a corner early in the draft, he could be someone to look at in the middle rounds. He would fit best in a press man scheme that uses Cover 3 as well.
For a player comp, I’ll give your Robert Rochell. Both are very good athletes with explosive testing numbers. They have the ball hawking mentality, speed to manage the deep routes and are wrap up tacklers.
Projection: Late Day Two/Early Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 7.6 Potential Starter/Good Backup (Fourth Round)
Games Watched: 2022 – At Virginia Tech, At NC State; 2023 vs Florida State, At Georgia Tech, At Syracuse
