Redshirt junior Connor Jones is entering the transfer portal for his final year of eligibility.
Jones played in twelve games throughout his career, including a redshirt in 2022 when he played in just two games. Most of his appearances came on special teams. Listed at 6'6" and 320 lbs. this season, he played in seven games on specials in 2025.
Here's what I had to say about Jones when he committed in December 2020 (LINK):
I see a lineman who is somewhat lumbering. He has heavy feet and his base gets too narrow. His turnover is not ideal in the run game. There’s a saying that “pass pro isn’t passive,” and that’s something that comes to mind when watching Jones’s highlights. He’s too passive in his sets and does not punch well or, in general, show as much aggression as I would like. He talks about being a finisher, but I don’t see that on film.
Overall, Jones has good size, but I don’t see him being able to do much more than wall off a side and make someone run around him. His lack of athleticism makes him unlikely to be able to reach a C-gap player without help or do a whole lot to be able to climb to the second level. I think his upside is that of a Juwann Bushell-Beatty, someone who could potentially become a late-career starter but without much of an NFL future.
I gave him a TTB Rating of 65, and he was a 247 Composite 3-star, the #90 offensive tackle, and #1012 overall.
Jones is a veteran lineman who might have been nice to have on the roster as a depth piece next year, but he had been passed by many of the younger players.
He'll find a home somewhere, though not a program like Michigan. If he wants to actually play, then he'll need to set his sights down a bit. I hope he has a "Plan B" for after football, because that day is coming 'round the bend for him.
ReplyDeleteThunder, do you track your predictions-vs-outcomes for players, particularly offensive linemen? I've read the OL is one of the hardest to project from high school into college, and how well they'll do. Your score of 65, and Jones not really making an impact and transferring out, says you were on target. But do you have low scores that break through? And high scores that bust out?
If you do, then my next question would be to offer an hind-sight explanation for why a low-score guy did well, and why a high-score guy didn't seem to make it. I know there are lots of reasons, but seeing some examples from you, with your evaluation and insights, would be a really good read.
Need dudes like this to fill out the depth chart. He put in his 4 years and hopefully graduates/graduated. For a 3-star, this is a success story, even though he never played all that much. Now he can go find playing time opportunities out there elsewhere.
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