2012 NFL Draft breakout candidates: Syracuse DE Chandler Jones

Chandler Jones
6’5, 267 pounds | Defensive end | Syracuse
Why he’s poised to break out:
After starting his career at Syracuse as a slender 220 pounds, Jones is up to 267. He played at around 250 pounds as a sophomore. The added strength and bulk is a perfect fit for his incredible length. When he measures out, Jones may have the longest arms of any player in the draft. He just needs to learn how to use them better.

In addition to his unique size, Jones is an incredible athlete. He’s reportedly gotten his 40-yard dash time down to 4.70 seconds, and impressive number for a long-limbed player. Jones has also shown good agility and fluidity. Watching him in person against Akron last season, Jones was on the pass rush and jumped to bat a pass. When the quarterback didn’t release it, Jones landed and chased him down while help arrived to finish the play. It was a routine display of athleticism for Jones.
Where he needs to improve:
Jones needs to learn to get off the line better. Instead of making offensive linemen react to him, Jones has reacted to what they do up this point in his career. That’s something Jones has worked on during the offseason. He’s changed his stance and has told reporters he’s going to play in a more attacking style.
Surprisingly, Jones has only registered 5.5 sacks in two seasons despite starting 21 games in his first two seasons at Syracuse. He does have 19.5 tackles for loss, though, which shows he knows how to get into the backfield. HIs best game was against West Virginia last season when he had 8 tackles and 2 sacks. It’s plainly obvious that if Jones wants to be a highly sought after draft prospect, his pass rush will need to improve. Just getting around the quarterback won’t help his stats as much as finishing the play off positively.
Player comparison: Justin Tuck, New York Giants