Monument (CO) Palmer Ridge offensive tackle Connor Jones committed to Michigan on Christmas Eve. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Colorado State, Indiana, Northwestern, Virginia, and West Virginia, among others.
Jones is listed at 6'7" and 285 lbs.
RANKINGS
ESPN: N/A
Rivals: 3-star OT, 5.5 grade
247 Sports: 3-star, 82 grade, #96 OT
Hit the jump for more on Jones's commitment.
Jones was offered by Michigan on September 1, 2020, the first day that college coaches can contact junior prospects. He and his family took a trip to Michigan on a midwest swing in December, and crystal balls started to roll in prior to his setting an announcement for December 24. And with Michigan as his childhood dream school, he picked the Wolverines.
Jones has good size at 6'7" and 285 lbs. (some places say 290). He claims (LINK) to be an intelligent lineman who can identify blitzes, stunts, etc. by studying the defense.
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.
This is Michigan's fifth commitment of the 2022 class and the first offensive lineman. He would be Michigan's first player from Palmer Ridge. The last player the program signed from the State of Colorado was 2020 center Reece Atteberry.
TTB Rating: I will not be assigning TTB Ratings for the 2022 class yet.
I like the size, especially how often we complained in past classes of OL, specifically at OT
ReplyDeleteWith talent recruited ahead of him, there's time to learn & improve .. that size though, is something that cannot be taught
How soon can college coaches start coaching high school players? Is Ed Warinner allowed to start teaching him now? He gets up high so quick. If I see it his o-line coach in high school must see it too. Maybe I assume wrong about what high school coaches should know.
ReplyDeleteI'm also wondrng what his 40 time is. It looks like he's able to stay with blocks going downfield. So I wonder if he could be tried at TE. But I'm not a coach. I could be way off in thinking that.
Warinner can't really start instructing him until he signs, so that's still about a year away.
DeleteI definitely don't think he has the speed to play tight end.