Meet James Jones

by Brandon on Apr 29, 2007 2:01 AM CDT in Green Bay Packers News

Near the end of a big run on wide receivers in the 3rd round, seven taken out of eight picks, the Packers selected San Jose State WR James Jones.

GM Ted Thompson is doing two things very well this draft; reaching for players everyone expected to go later in the draft and selecting guys that received barely a mention (if even that) in rumors. NFL Draft Scout considered Jones a 4th to 7th round talent.

There were two things accomplished by selecting Jones. First he adds depth to a position where the Packers didn't need a starter, but did need to add depth. Second he uses the draft pick that was often mentioned in rumors as the pick the Packers would trade to Oakland for WR Randy Moss. With Jones on the roster, it seems unlikely that Moss will be involved in any trade regarding the Packers this year.

Here's the bottom line on Jones from Frank Coyle:

Major college sleeper and one of the most underrated playmakers in this class. He has size, speed and athletic ability and will be a good second day pick if he improves his overall game and key areas. He is a boom-or-bust prospect.

Here's what NFL Draft Scout says:

What Jones might lack in downfield speed, he makes up for with precision in his route-running and overall strength.

Hopefully Jones is the guy Thompson wanted all along and not someone he settled for after his man was grabbed in the earlier run on wide receivers. The players start looking less and less like sure things after the early second round, but Jones has the potential to become a good receiver. Unfortunately he will make the jump to the NFL from small San Jose State and he scored a dismal 9 on the Wonderlic so he will be a project. He probably won't be available to help the Packers until 2008.

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we'll see how this one turns out.

Jury's out on Jones. Seems like the big knock on him is lack of speed.

I'm not concerned about where all these picks were originally projected, since the projections seem to be from non-football professionals like me - geeks with not much else to do but decide how well any given college player might succeed in the NFL. I know that in the days of Ron Wolf's drafts, he grabbed whoever the hell he wanted to whenever the hell they were near the top of his draft board. Some failed, others succeeded, and he surely could have waited longer for many of them. Ted Thompson will succeed or fail with Wolf's strategy (or, as critics might point out, lack thereof).

My biggest concern here is that I don't think that WR is an area of need for the team. Driver and Jennings are the top two, and if Jennings improves from last year's hot start, we should be in good shape with the starters. #3 is a bit tricky - I think Ferguson sticks around as a special teams guy, and once (if...?) Koren Robinson is done with his suspension, he's the #3 over Ferguson. Then there's Ruvell Martin, who is limited (speed!) but useful, and guys like Bodiford, Holiday, and Brewster who have special teams skills and show promise as WRs. Unlike DT, where Harrell fills a real need (starter next to Pickett, with Williams as a situational substitute / member of the DL rotation), I don't see Jones adding to a weak or undermanned position on the Packers.

by NiceGuyJoey on Apr 29, 2007 4:42 PM CDT reply actions

Need at Wide Receiver

There are a lot of guys in the mix, but it isn't clear who will work out. Obviously Driver's number 1, but Jennings faded badly at the end of the season. Ferguson's never worked out and they can't really count on Robinson. As much promise as Martin, Bodiford, Holiday, and Brewster may show, these are fringe NFL guys who could all easily be out of the NFL by 2008. If all these guys work out in 2007, it will be an embarrassment of riches, but realistically that won't happen. McCarthy's offense seems so dependent on productive wide receivers, the backs and tight ends don't seem to do much in his offense (although that might be due to the guys playing some of those positions), that he better have enough receivers on the roster now and learning the system so they don't have to be scrambling at the end of the season to grab someone off waivers, like they did with Holiday in 2006, and have to shove him in as the number 2 or 3 receiver.

by Brandon on Apr 30, 2007 1:29 AM CDT up reply actions