Every NFL team wants to find that diamond in the rough in the draft. A player who is not found on many draft boards and few people know about. These tend to be small-school players, and many end up undrafted.
Eastern Washington RB Taiwan Jones fits that mold, and hopes to be the next unknown to become a star. Jones decided after his junior season, in which EWU won the Football Championship Subdivision championship, to make the leap to the pros.
Jones was extremely productive in his final season, accumulating almost 2,000 yards with a 7.9-yard rushing average and 17 total touchdowns. But a fractured left foot (suffered in the first round of the FCS playoffs) kept him from testing at the NFL Scouting Combine. It was the latest in a series of injuries (broken fibula in 2008, hand/shoulder/hip flexor during ’09 season, sports hernia surgery in December ’09, abdominal contusion during ’10 season) that he dealt with during his collegiate career.
Jones, who measured 5-11 5/8, 194 pounds at the Combine, had his pro day on Thursday, and, according to Yahoo! Sports, ran one 40-yard dash in the range of 4.27 to 4.35 seconds on all stopwatches.
In PFW's 2011 Draft Preview book, draft analyst Nolan Nawrocki says Jones "has ample ability with the ball in his hands, but the extent to which he's able to stay healthy, adapt to NFL blocking and contribute on special teams will determine his utility."
He talked to PFW before his pro day about his experience at a small school, how he has battled injuries and where he sees himself fitting on an NFL team.
PFW: What went into your decision to leave college early for the pros?
Jones: The NFL is something that was always a dream for me and something that I've always worked hard toward. We had a good season as a team and I had some pretty good stats. After sitting down and talking to my coaches and the NFL committee, they felt the same way. After I got to talk to my teammates about it, that really made my decision easier once I found out they wanted me to do what's best for me.
PFW: You went to a school that not many people have heard of. What was the recruiting process like that resulted in you not going to a big school and going to Eastern Washington instead?
Jones: It was definitely a disappointment for me to not go to a big school because I always wanted to. When I look back at it now, I don't regret going to Eastern. I feel like God has a path for everybody and Eastern was the path he chose for me and it worked out.
PFW: You've had to deal with a bunch of injuries in your career. How has that experience been valuable to you and how have you shown you can play through those injuries?
Jones: I've been a very positive person. I went through a lot of injuries but I was also productive with the injuries. Every injury I had, I was able to bounce back from and be just as productive, if not more, after them. Just like they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Each injury, I was able to spend more time in the weight room and work on things I needed to work on. My productivity was going up even with my injuries.
PFW: You gained 7.9 yards per carry as a senior. What was that like to know you could essentially get close to a first down every time you touched the ball?
Jones: I was always blessed with a good offensive line. A lot of running backs don't have receivers that like to block, but I had receivers that took pride in blocking downfield. We just worked as a team. With some of my ability and my team's skills, I was able to accomplish big things.
PFW: There's a long history of small-school guys who have become successful in the NFL. Do you look up to any particular small-school guys and think that if that player can do it, you can too?
Jones: The Villanova coach came up to me and told me that I reminded him a lot of Brian Westbrook and that I was able to do some things that he couldn't even do. That was a real positive. I always felt like I was good regardless of what level I played in. That was another thing that weighed into my decision — I just wanted everybody else to see that, too.
PFW: You've gotten some attention for your 40-times and as a small-school sleeper. Do you pay attention to the press that you've been getting?
Jones: I don't pay too much (attention) to the media. I think my parents read that stuff more than me. I try not to look at it. I've always been under the radar and I knew coming out there would be a lot of negative things said about me. It's just part of football, so I don't pay too much attention.
PFW: You played cornerback your first year at Eastern Washington. Why is it important for you to have had that experience playing on the other side of the ball?
Jones: It definitely shows my versatility. I loved playing corner. I enjoyed it and I thought that would be the position I'd play in the NFL, but my team needed me as a running back and I was happy to make the switch. Wherever you need me to play, I can play that position.
PFW: Teams will ask you about your injuries. What will you say to them to prove you can stay healthy in the NFL?
Jones: Football is a game of bumps and bruises. Playing a position at running back, you're going to get a lot of bumps and bruises. A lot of my injuries aren't major. I broke my hand and had a sports hernia, which is common when you have guys like myself that cut on a dime and change direction as fast as I do. I wouldn't say that I'm injury-prone. I just tell them football, it's part of the territory, everyone has bumps and bruises, and the biggest thing is how you bounce back from it.
PFW: Where do you see yourself fitting in on an NFL team?
Jones: If I'm playing in the NFL I'm happy. If they need me to be a return guy, a corner or a running back, I'm happy with it. I just love to compete, and (playing in the NFL) has always been my dream. Wherever they think is best for me in their program, I'm willing to play that position.
Pro Football Weekly's 2011 Draft Preview book is now on sale.
Leeann Tweeden Bali Rodriguez Izabella Miko Cameron Diaz Sofía Vergara
No comments:
Post a Comment