Auburn DB Jonathan Jones still doubted over lack of height

It’s clear that even in the week entering the 2016 NFL Draft, Auburn defensive back Jonathan Jones is still trying to live down his measurable marks on the first morning at the Senior Bowl in Mobile.

Or more accurately live up to those numbers.

Jones showed up for weigh-in in front of over 100 NFL scouts and personnel people measuring among the smallest cornerbacks invited to the premier annual college all-star game in weight, hand size, arm length and was the second shortest cornerback.

Jones, who was listed at Auburn at 5-foot-10 and 182 pounds, weighed in Tuesday at 5-foot-8 ½ and just 178 pounds at the Senior Bowl. Despite a 4.33-second 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine and impressing the scouts at Auburn’s pro day a few weeks later, professional teams continue to be skeptical of drafting a short defensive back who only had one interception in his senior season at Auburn.

In his latest 7-round mock draft, NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter has Jones being selected in the sixth round (177th overall) by the Los Angeles Rams.

“You can’t get over the height, but as a nickel corner he’s got a chance to be a pretty good player,” ESPN NFL analyst Todd McShay said. “He certainly helped himself (at the combine). I wonder if maybe now we are looking at late day two or somewhere early day three, but you run that kind of time history tells you you’re probably not going to get out of the first four rounds in the draft.”

Jones’ best role on a NFL defense could be as a nickel cornerback with the responsibility of covering smaller slot receivers like the Patriots big-play weapon Julian Edelman or Los Angeles Rams target Tavon Austin. Jones is trying to be the first Auburn defensive back drafted since 2010 when Walter McFadden was selected in the fifth round by the Oakland Raiders. The last Auburn defensive back to be selected in the first three rounds was Jerraud Powers selected in the third round by the Indianapolis Colts.

“Speed is one thing guys say you can’t coach so coaches have a hard time scheming and covering those smaller receivers because it’s just so hard to get your hands on them,” Jones said. “Teams are always looking for those nickel guys.”

Former Oklahoma wide receiver Sterling Shepard, who was measured at 5-foot-10 and is expected to be selected in the middle rounds of the 2016 draft, said at the NFL combine that Jones was his toughest defender at the Senior Bowl practices.

“Few passes made it to receivers’ hands in his coverage, with Jones getting his hands on a number of passes himself,” NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said during the Senior Bowl game broadcast. “The cornerback class in Mobile had a few different types of player and Jones stood out above the rest on the practice field.”

Ever since being measured on that first day at the Senior Bowl, Jones hasn’t been shy about how his height and weight isn’t something he could change overnight or for that matter, at all.

“I look at myself in the mirror every morning so I knew it wasn’t like I was going to grow or get longer arms before I came down here,” Jones joked at Senior Bowl practice in Mobile. “What I’ve got to do out here [the practice field] is show my height, weight and size can play against the best players out here.”

Jones has signed with the Joe Linta of JL Sports, which is a firm based out of Connecticut, which represents Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco and former Auburn players Chris Davis and Daren Bates.

“I think people are excited to see what I can do,” Jones said after Auburn’s pro day workouts on March 7. “They’re excited about what I’ve shown so far, so hopefully whatever team I go to, I can compete to play and get on the field.”