The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2022 NFL draft.
On paper, the Green Bay Packers have a strong trio of interior defensive lineman with Kenny Clark, Jarran Reed and Dean Lowry. That trio from the 2016 NFL draft gives Joe Barry a solid foundation in the trenches for the upcoming season.
That group could look quite different in 2023, with Reed and Lowry both set to hit the open market following the upcoming season.
With those two veterans possibly exiting in 2023, look for Brian Gutekunst to address the defensive line group early in the 2022 NFL Draft.
A player that Green Bay’s general manager could target with the 28th overall pick is Travis Jones. The UCONN defensive tackle checks in at No. 9 in the Unpacking Future Packers countdown.
Jones, a three-star recruit out of Connecticut made an immediate impact for the hometown Huskies. As a freshman in 2018, Jones started 10 games and recorded 5.5 tackles for loss. The following season, Jones recorded six tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UCONN did not have a football season in 2020. This past season, Jones recorded 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.
“Jones anchored a defensive line that was one of the only bright spots on the team during a 1-11 campaign,” Dan Madigan, the editor for UCONNblog.com, said. “The New Haven, Connecticut native drew plenty of attention from offensive linemen as expected, but still put together another solid year and built upon the preseason buzz of being a potential first day NFL Draft pick. On top of the 7.5 TFLs and 4.5 sacks, he also added 31 tackles. Not an easy feat when you are the focal point in the trenches.”
Jones is an impressive athlete for a man his size. At 6-4, 325 pounds, Jones ran a 4.92 40 (1.78 10-yard split). He posted a broad jump of 9-2 and a three-cone time of 7.33.
Travis Jones agility drills pic.twitter.com/TKplTzbHxO
— Matt Minich (@CoachMinich) April 20, 2022
That type of athleticism is the reason why Jones was listed on Bruce Feldman’s annual Freak’s list.
“I think maybe the best way to speak to Jones’ athleticism is that he essentially rolled onto campus and was not only a starter, but an immediate impact player as a true freshman,” Madigan said. “That defensive unit was not a good one, but Jones’ presence was felt immediately — he quickly stood out and established himself as one of the Huskies’ best players. It’s incredibly hard to play as a true freshman, let alone play all 12 games like he did, and I think his size, athleticism and skill made that possible.”
A big question mark for Jones was how he was going to handle the rise in competition during Senior Bowl Week. Jones passed the test with flying colors. He had an impressive week of practices and was voted the top defensive tackle on the National team.
Travis Jones was throwin’ a FIT at the @seniorbowl 😈🔥 pic.twitter.com/dyIFqyCEJk
— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) February 9, 2022
From Pro Football Focus:
Jones was the biggest bully along the defensive line in Mobile. No interior lineman in attendance could handle his power throughout the week, as he was spinning offensive linemen around with his powerful mitts. He’s still not a terribly twitchy athlete, but he’s a prototypical all-around nose tackle.
Jones was the Alpha and the Beta on UCONN’s defense. The opposing offense threw the kitchen sink at Jones and he was still able to disrupt the action in the backfield on a consistent basis.
The UCONN defensive tackle is a wrecking ball. He’s stout and powerful. His strong upper body allows him to stack and shed. He’s able to anchor down against double teams and is an immovable object in the middle of the line of scrimmage. He’s able to clog up running lanes.
“Jones’ biggest strength is certainly as a run stopper,” Madigan said. “While UConn’s defense certainly got torched by running backs from time to time, I’ve seen Jones break up plays and stop backs before they could rip off another big run plenty of times. His strength and overall quickness allows him to shed blockers and close gaps, and he has the smarts and experience to handle his own against double teams.”
Jones has good movement skills for a man his size. He has upfield juice as a pass rusher. He’s explosive off the snap. He has a strong upper body and owns a devastating bull rush. This past season he recorded 4.5 sacks and had 25 pressures. His ability as a pass-rusher is projection-based. At UCONN he was facing constant double teams, yet was still able to disrupt the pocket. With his short-area twitch and power, Jones could be a force and bolster any team’s interior pass rush.
Travis Jones – wax on, wax off pic.twitter.com/PLihUs28ET
— Matt Minich (@CoachMinich) April 20, 2022
“The pass rush is Jones’ biggest weakness, and likely what is keeping him in the late first round/early second conversation,” Madigan said. “Most scouting reports of Jones mention a slightly slower first step as the biggest issue with his pass rush game. At UConn, where he was still better than most in just about every way, this might not have mattered as much, but certainly will come into play at the next level. Nonetheless, he has been praised by coaches for his work ethic and ability to continue to improve his physique, so it’s not out of the question that he can improve on his pass rush ability as he becomes a pro.”
Fit with the Packers
Jones got better each year at UCONN and worked hard to reshape his body. He arrived on campus at 350 pounds and weighted in at the combine at 324 pounds.
The former three-star recruit has all the traits to develop into an interior force. He has outstanding size and power. He was nearly unblockable at the Senior Bowl, where he was going up against some of the most talented offensive linemen in this draft class.
“If I’m looking at stopping the run, it’s hard to find a better plug and play option than Jones, especially in this draft class,” Madigan said. “Jones certainly needs to improve his pass rush in order to become a true three-down defensive tackle, but is already good enough to be an asset in rushing situations. During his two years against American Athletic Conference teams and one against independents, Jones held his own from day one and established himself as one of the best players on the field, routinely drawing double teams. Against even better talent at the Senior Bowl, Jones excelled against single coverage even against some of this year’s best offensive linemen and shot up draft boards in the process.”
Jones is a pro-ready, run-stuffing nose tackle, with all the tools to develop into a three-down force. With the 28th pick, the Packers could target Jones and bet on those traits.
