Finally it was the featured cage match between the two top picks. They went at it four times; each won twice.
Yet, the violence exhibited by the other linebackers wasn’t evident when Jones hit Bell, or anyone. Jones seemed to lack explosiveness.
“Like pop?” asked Bell. “Well that’s not him. He uses his hands a lot more. When he bull-rushes he doesn’t really lead with his shoulder and head, it’s his hands, and that’s what was getting me at first because I want to kind of pop him, but he just got his hands on me and kind of moved me out of the way.”
After Jones got to the imaginary QB the second time against Bell, Tomlin said, “Ninety-five’s heavy-handed.”
Bell agreed with that assessment of Jones.
“Yeah. He’s thick,” Bell said. “I don’t know how to explain it. He’s just like a special player. He knows how to push a guy back. He’s strong and knows how to use his hands.”
Later in the practice Jones showed off another asset: his coverage skills. Lining up as an inside backer, Jones dropped into coverage and was in position to obliterate David Gilreath after the wide receiver caught a short pass on a crossing pattern. Of course, Jones held back as teammates are expected to do.
A play later, as an outside backer, Jones dropped deep to cover tight end Jamie McCoy. Jones instinctively came off McCoy to make a quick stop on an underneath receiver.
Jones also batted a ball into the air after slipping past tackle Joe Long. It was caught by the unfortunate quarterback, John Parker Wilson, whom Jones hit immediately.
“I’m just doing what I’m asked to do and I’m making plays and having fun doing it,” said Jones. “I think coach is coaching me right, putting me in the right position to make plays, and when the opportunities come I’m just trying to take advantage of it.”