Charlie Jones, WR Purdue: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Jones was a two-star recruit from Deerfield High School in Deerfield, Ill. in the class of 2017

Wide receiver Charlie Jones took his time finding the right fit in college, but his production at Purdue this past season ranked among the best in the nation. Unfortunately, Jones’ limited size and questionable athletic profile limit his ceiling in the 2023 NFL Draft.

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Charlie Jones, WR Purdue: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Sixth year redshirt senior outside receiver from Deerfield, Ill.

Background: Jones was a two-star recruit from Deerfield High School in Deerfield, Ill. in the class of 2017. He was the No. 3,165 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 2,611 (three-star) for On3.com. Jones was an unranked two-star recruit for Rivals and an unranked recruit for ESPN without a star ranking or grade out of 100. He originally committed to Buffalo, where he redshirted in 2017. Jones transferred to Iowa for the 2019 season, which he sat out under the transfer rules. He transferred to Purdue for the 2022 season. In high school, Jones received All-Conference honors as a junior and senior. He was an All-Area kick return specialist and earned team MVP honors as a senior. The three-year starter averaged 18.2 yards per reception, 6.2 yards per carry, and 25.3 yards per kick return.

Injuries & Off-Field: Played through injuries throughout 2022

Awards: 2020 Second-Team All-Big Ten (Coaches, Return Specialist), 2021 First-Team All-Big Ten (Return Specialist), 2021 Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year, 2022 First-Team All-Big Ten (WR), 2022 Second-Team All-American (WR)

Pros: Enters the NFL with 77 punt returns and 45 kick returns to his name, experience in the slot and out wide, smooth linear speed, rarely drops the ball, ball skills, concentration at the catch point, surprisingly impressive ability to haul in catches when crowded by defenders, boxes out defenders for contested catches, makes catches outside of his frame, quick off the line, speedy release on slants to generate instant separation, quick footwork helps generate sudden cuts, quick deceleration and snappy turn at the top of comeback routes, sinks hips at the top of his route, finds holes in zone and slows route speed to keep the window open, varies route tempo, good route definition, double moves force corners to hold, separates in the wash over the MOF

Cons: Turns 25 this year, small and lean frame, doesn’t offer elite vertical speed, minimal play strength, small catch radius, little to no vertical separation, surprisingly little separation against man coverage, vulnerable to press coverage, route disrupted by physical corner play, pushed into the sideline by aggressive corners, didn’t challenge Joey Porter Jr. (2022) much, limited YAC contributions, doesn’t break tackles with power, not sudden or shifty with the ball in his hands, not an impactful blocker

Overview: Jones took official measurements at the NFL Combine. He’s 5112 and weighs 175 lbs. He has 9-inch hands, 31 5/8-inch arms, and a 74-inch wingspan. Jones returned 77 punts and 45 kicks in his college career. That level of special teams experience is rare and provides him with a solid foundation to fall back on. He primarily played outside at Purdue but has experience as a slot receiver going back to his days in Buffalo. Jones has smooth linear speed and quick feet that cause damage over the middle of the field as a possession receiver. He rarely drops the ball and has excellent ball skills. Despite his small frame, Jones makes a high number of contested catches thanks to his concentration at the catch point. He knows how to put defenders on his back and block them out from making plays on the ball. The All-American is quick off the line and has a speedy release on slants that generates instant separation. His quick footwork and hip sink help execute sudden cuts in his route tree. Jones quickly decelerates with a snappy turn at the top of comeback routes. He excels at finding holes in zone coverage and slows his route speed to keep those windows open longer. The former two-star recruit runs defined routes and uses mixed tempo or double moves to create separation. He also excels at separating over the middle of the field by navigating through traffic. Jones turns 25 years old this season and might not have much room to grow as a player. Despite his small and lean frame, the Purdue product doesn’t have the speed to separate vertically. His minimal play strength and small catch radius are concerning, especially because Jones doesn’t generate much separation in general. He is vulnerable to press coverage and gets bumped off his routes or driven into the sideline by physical cornerbacks. Jones didn’t challenge Joey Porter Jr. (2022) much, and his statistical output against Big Ten teams with top cornerback prospects is misleading. Jones doesn’t offer much after the catch because he lacks the strength to break tackles and the shiftiness to make defenders miss in space. He isn’t an impactful blocker in the run or screen game.

Overall, Jones projects to the NFL as a high-floor, low-ceiling slot possession receiver who can contribute on special teams. His inability to create consistent separation at his size is a significant concern, but his route running and concentration in contested catch situations are redeeming qualities.

Role & Scheme Fit: Slot receiver (Y) in an 11 personnel heavy scheme

Round Projection: Fifth Round

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 03-29-23