High School and College Career

Charlie Jones played football at Deerfield High School in Illinois before attending the University of Buffalo.

As a freshman in 2018, Jones quickly made an impact for the Buffalo Bulls. He was able to put up impressive numbers, playing in 14 games and catching 18 receptions for 395 yards. Jones had an average of 21.9 yards per reception and was able to score 3 touchdowns. He also had an impressive quarterback rating of 84.8 when he was targeted.

Following his freshman season, Jones decided to transfer to the University of Iowa for his sophomore year. However, his time at Iowa did not yield the same results as his freshman season. Jones appeared in only 6 games and was not heavily involved in the passing game.

Jones got back on track in his junior year in 2021. He played in all 14 games for Iowa and caught 21 passes for 323 yards with an average of 15.4 yards per catch. Additionally, Jones was able to score 3 touchdowns and impressively had a quarterback rating of 110.3 when targeted.

After his junior season, Jones decided to transfer to Purdue for his senior year. Jones had an outstanding final season at Purdue, featuring in 13 games and catching a remarkable 110 passes for 1361 yards. He had an average of 12.4 yards per catch and scored 12 touchdowns. His quarterback rating when targeted was an impressive 119.0.

Charlie Jones Scouting Report Introduction

Charlie Jones started his collegiate journey at the University at Buffalo, where he redshirted during his freshman year. While his production at Buffalo was limited, he was able to showcase his special teams skills.

Jones then transferred to Iowa, where he was forced to miss the first season due to NCAA transfer rules. However, during his second season at Iowa, Jones’ potential began to shine through. It became clear that he was a valuable asset to his team on the field.

After transferring again, this time to Purdue, Jones blossomed into a star player. He quickly became the team’s WR1, catching 110 passes for 1,361 yards and 12 touchdowns. During this season, Jones displayed his full skill set in the Boilermakers’ offense, excelling in the quick passing game. He proved to be most effective on quick slants, crossers, and in/out-breaking routes.

Jones has a veteran feel to his game, understanding how to leverage his position against defenders. His foot quickness is a valuable asset, allowing him to move defenders off their spot and create easier access to space for himself. Additionally, Jones’ play strength is functional and admirable. He does well to fight through contact in his route when necessary.

Jones excels against zone-heavy defenses, locating and settling into soft spots in coverage concepts. His pacing and tempo of his route stems manipulate coverages and create separation from his defender. Although Jones’ release package is not overly diverse, and he tends to repeat the same footwork repeatedly, it has not proven to be a significant issue in his college career.

As a route-runner, Jones displays redeeming and translatable qualities. However, he has been noted to have issues running with great pad level, making it harder for him to break out of his routes with optimal quickness or speed. Additionally, defenders are able to disrupt his route stems out of his breaks, which limits his ability to make plays.

Jones will undoubtedly need to work on his release package and route running as NFL cornerbacks will study his tendencies in detail. However, he proves his competitiveness by battling at the catch point and after the catch, making him a valuable asset to any team he plays for.

As Jones enters the NFL, he will bring impressive offensive and special teams value. Teams will benefit from his play on the outside as a depth or backup receiver, and his punt/kick returner skills. The Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine will be critical for his draft stock, as he has the potential to carve out a role on offense. Overall, Charlie Jones displays the potential to be a tough and hardworking player with a bright future in the NFL.

Strengths

Although he is more of a possession receiver than a field stretcher, Jones has the ability to make plays in the middle of the field with his fierce competitive demeanor and impressive run-after-catch ability.

He has reliable hands and excellent focus, allowing him to make difficult catches with ease. He also has a knack for tracking high balls downfield and can consistently run under long throws.

Jones’ true talent shines through when he has the ball in his hands. He is a natural playmaker who can quickly turn a short pass into a big gain on the field. Jones has a competitive spirit that drives him to make big plays and always play at the top of his game.

Despite not being the biggest receiver on the field, Jones has a natural ability to high-point the ball, making him a huge asset for his team. In fact, at times he appears to play larger than his size.

Overall, Jones’ unique combination of natural catching ability, playmaking talent, competitiveness, and impressive speed make him a valuable asset for any team looking to add a talented receiver to their roster.

Weaknesses

When facing zone coverage, a player must be able to situate themselves on the field to optimize their performance properly. However, in the case of Charlie Jones, it appears that he could benefit from further development in this area. While Jones may possess good timed speed, he may struggle to break through the defense to take advantage of it.

One of the reasons for this may be due to his lack of twitchiness. Without this quality, Jones may struggle to create separation between himself and opposing players, making it more challenging to move the ball down the field. Additionally, even with his size and ability to track the ball out of the air as it travels downfield, he may not excel in contested catches.

Charlie Jones is our 94th prospect on our draft big board.