With their actual second-round pick, the Green Bay Packers chose North Carolina safety Josh Jones.
Jones is another big defensive back at 6’1″, 220 and a signal the Packers are serious about upgrading their secondary. The surprise here is that he’s a safety, a position where the Packers have plenty of players, including presumptive starters Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Morgan Burnett.
It has been suggested that Jones may be looked at as a replacement for the departed Micah Hyde. It’s also possible the Packers will try to make him a boundary cornerback. Jones did play some corner in college.
In 2016, Jones had 109 tackles, including four for loss, three interceptions and eight passes defended.
One thing we know about Jones is he’s fast — he ran a 4.41 40. That makes him a prototypical package of size and speed.
He can also hit, but is apparently too aggressive at times.
We suspect the Packers will give Jones a chance to compete, but wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up being a backup safety in 2017.
From NFL.com: Jones is a height-weight-speed prospect to be sure, but he’s not just a traits-based safety. Jones has the appetite for hitting that teams will want around the box and he has the speed and ball skills to range and help against vertical threats from a deep safety spot. The big area of concern will be Jones’ ability to play with better discipline in coverage and as a tackler. He has the ability to become a good, long-time starter in the league.