Jarvis Jones enters the 2013 Draft as one of the top rated defensive players. The former University of Georgia linebacker is garnering a lot of interest from teams in search of young defensive talent. Projected to go in the first round and possibly the top ten depending on team needs, Jones had a large turnout at his Pro Day. While he may have disappointed in his workouts, the Oakland Raiders seemed impressed and are considering him with their top pick.
While projected as first-round talent, Jones underwhelmed at his Pro Day. He ran an unimpressive 40-yard dash time of 4.92 seconds. This puts him on the slower end of most of the defensive players entering the draft. His teammate, linebacker Alec Ogletree, ran a 4.63. Jones had two chances to run premier drill. On the first run, he appeared to pull up and grimace near the end, running in low 30-degree temperatures. He then completed 20 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press while having mid-level results of 30.5 inches in the vertical jump and 9 feet, 3 inches in the broad jump.
While his results in the workouts were not exactly that of a first-round talent, Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie believes Jones has shown enough on the field to prove he is worthy of a top pick.
"You can never dispel what you see on tape," McKenzie said while present at the Pro Day.
McKenzie was not the only NFL scout present at the Pro Day. Representatives from all 32 teams were there to see Jones. Jets' head coach Rex Ryan seemed impressed as well by Jones despite the slow 40 time. Oakland and New York are two teams heavily expected to draft defense with their first pick. Oakland drafts No. 3 overall and would have the best chance to grab Jones early.
Jones was an All-American during his time at Georgia so one bad workout will not hurt his draft status. He helped lead Georgia to a 12-2 season, including a trip to the SEC Championship where they lost to Alabama. Jones is considered the nation's top pass rusher. He has 28 sacks in his two years at Georgia, including 14 ½ in 2012.
