Cam Jones, LB Indiana: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Jones was a three-star recruit from St. Benedict at Auburndale in Cordova, Tenn. in the class of 2018

Indiana linebacker Cam Jones had the rare distinction of serving as a captain of a Power Five team three times during his college career. The former three-star recruit had a solid showing at the Senior Bowl and should hear his name called in the 2023 NFL Draft.

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Cam Jones, LB Indiana: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Fifth year senior linebacker from Memphis, Tenn.

Background: Jones was a three-star recruit from St. Benedict at Auburndale in Cordova, Tenn. in the class of 2018. He was the No. 951 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 941 for On3.com. Jones was an unranked three-star recruit for Rivals and an unranked three-star recruit for ESPN with a 72 grade out of 100. He played wide receiver and linebacker in high school, amassing 160 tackles, including 60 for loss, 34 sacks, five interceptions, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in his junior and senior seasons. Over that time, Jones totaled 3,678 all-purpose yards, including 1,534 receiving, 1,049 rushing, 496 returning punts, 436 returning kicks, and 163 returning interceptions or fumbles. He scored 32 touchdowns. Jones was a team captain in 2017 when St. Benedict at Auburndale set a program record for wins in a season. Jones lettered in football four times and track and field twice. He committed to Indiana over offers from Louisville, Memphis, Mississippi State, Missouri, Tennessee, Tulane, and Wake Forest. Jones was born on Oct. 21, 1999. 

2022 Production: 5 games, 54 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 8 pressures, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 1 pass defensed

2021 Production: 11 games, 60 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 12 pressures, 1 sack, 2 passes defensed

2020 Production: 8 games, 35 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 13 pressures, 3 sacks, 3 passes defensed

2019 Production: 12 games, 35 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 8 pressures, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception, 2 passes defensed, 1 defensive touchdown

2018 Production: 11 games, 20 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 1 interception, 1 pass defensed

Injuries & Off-Field: Missed one game in 2018, 2019, and 2021, missed seven games with a foot injury in 2022

Awards: 2018 Indiana Defensive Newcomer of the Year, 2022 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten, Three-Time Team Captain (2020-22)

Pros: Special teams experience on the kick return, kick coverage, punt return, punt coverage, and field goal block units, rarely penalized, ideal range, upside with pursuit speed, speed gives him upside as a blitzer, fires through gaps as a blitzer, gains excellent depth in zone drops, reads the QB’s eyes in coverage, speed to carry running backs and some less athletic tight ends vertically, flashes of excellent run fits, delivers big hits in the hole for his size, good closing burst to the tackle, comes downhill willing to pop an offensive lineman before redirecting to the ball, lands hits above his weight class, primarily beats blockers in the run game with his superior speed and agility

Cons: Age, injury history, undersized linebacker, missed tackles remain a concern, will try to tackle low and not wrap up, easily sealed or displaced by climbing linemen, doesn’t stack and shed blocks, slow to shed blocks, needs to be kept clean at the second level to impact the run game, occasionally overruns plays opening cutback lanes, prefers to play around run blockers rather than through them, doesn’t have full sideline-to-sideline range, unknown ceiling in man coverage

Overview: Jones’ measurements at the Senior Bowl list him at 6011, 227 lbs. with 31 1/8-inch arms. He should contribute on special teams immediately as a rookie. While at Indiana, Jones gained experience as a member of the kick return, kick coverage, punt return, punt coverage, and field goal block units. The fifth-year senior knows how to maximize his speed as a blitzer and in pursuit. He frequently fires through gaps to apply pressure on the quarterback. In coverage, Jones gains excellent depth in zone drops and has the mobility to make mid-play adjustments. He reads the quarterback’s eyes in coverage but hasn’t amassed high levels of ball production yet. Jones’ speed helps him carry running backs and some less athletic tight ends vertically. He should still cover running backs in the NFL but will need to prove he can stick with some of the game’s better tight ends. Jones shows flashes of excellent run fits. He patiently reads the play before driving downhill with impressive closing burst. Despite his undersized build, Jones delivers massive hits in the hole. He’s also willing to fly downhill and pop an offensive lineman before redirecting to the ball. However, Jones primarily beats blockers in the run game with his superior speed and agility. This decision to play around instead of through blockers is reflective of his physical limitations. The Tennessee native doesn’t stack and shed blocks often. He needs to be kept clean at the second level to impact the run game. Climbing linemen easily seal or displace Jones. The Indiana captain is guilty of going low on ball carriers and not wrapping up at times, which leads to missed tackles. Jones occasionally overruns plays, opening cutback lanes for ball carriers. While he possesses intriguing speed and agility, Jones lacks true sideline-to-sideline range. He has some untapped potential in man coverage. Jones is fit for zone duties right away, but whichever team drafts him will need to experiment with his capabilities against an array of pass catchers.

Overall, Jones is an athletic, undersized linebacker who is at his best attacking downhill against the run. He showcases the athleticism for a heavy dose of snaps in zone coverage, but his man skills are underdeveloped. Jones’ size limits his ability to shed blocks and impact the running game consistently.

Role & Scheme Fit: Weakside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme

Round Projection: Mid Fifth to Mid Sixth

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 02-09-23