Marcus Jones – CB (Houston)
Marcus Jones isn’t going to scare anyone when he lines up on defense. He’s a 5’8″ corner who is 174 pounds soaking wet and doesn’t have elite arm length. In fact, it’d be a godsend for the Vikings’ receivers to line up across from this kid, but where he becomes an issue is on special teams.
Jones is a dynamite return man who makes game-changing plays on a routine basis. He’s got a knack for finding seams on returns and then kicks on the jets and is gone. During his career at Houston and Troy, he had six kickoff return scores and three punt return touchdowns. He’s electric in that role and a problem that teams will need to be aware of every time they face him.
Going against an elite returner can be a major headache for a team. They always have to be aware of where he is on the field, and their punts and kickoffs will be altered as they try to kick away from him. The Vikings could have a game in hand, but then Jones busts off a big return that leads to a score, and a play like that can light a fire under a team and bring them back in what was looking like a guaranteed defeat.
Marcus Jones is easily the best return man in this draft, and if the Vikings don’t get him, let’s hope the Packers, Lions, or Bears don’t either.