Probably the most head-scratching pick of Day 2 for the Chicago Bears was taking Tennessee wide receiver Velus Jones, in the 3rd round. Nobody begrudged the team for adding weapons to this offense. Justin Fields desperately needs more help. It is merely that some draft evaluators felt he would’ve still been available a bit later on. There were other options. However, the Bears seemed to feel the somewhat older rookie (25 in May) was worth the risk.
It didn’t take long to find out why. When looking at young players coming into the NFL, they’re always compared to those already in the league. Most rookies tend to draw two or three comparisons. With Jones, it seems as if the same name keeps coming up. One that explains why Chicago was so comfortable taking him. It started with Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy stating that Jones is the one receiver in the class that mirrors San Francisco 49ers star, Deebo Samuel.
This is due to his unique mix of speed, strength, and after-the-catch ability.
"Everyone wants to find the next #DeeboSamuel (@19problemz)."@JimNagy_SB is on the #NFLRhodesShow with an "NFL Fan's Bowl Game Viewing Guide"…
…and a reason to keep your eye on the @MusicCityBowl on Thursday. 👇🏽
🍎 https://t.co/T9TYK2AYzX
🟢 https://t.co/JMOrMsIeYb pic.twitter.com/dtUKo6QKfx— Lindsay Rhodes (@lindsay_rhodes) December 29, 2021
He wasn’t the only one. Top NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah spoke about Jones earlier this month. He, too, alluded to the “Deebo-like” qualities Jones possesses. He’s so dangerous because he can torch defenses in different ways. He can go out and catch a pass or take a hand-off in the backfield. His speed and aggressive running mentality make it a chore to get him on the ground.
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Daniel Jeremiah said earlier this month he sees some Deebo-like traits in Velus Jones …
"Really sturdy and strong and explosive. Like real, real, real fast. On jet sweeps, you see it in the kick return game with him, as well. Just get him the ball and let him go."
— Dan Wiederer (@danwiederer) April 30, 2022
Velus Jones Jr. is a very good weapon with the ball in his hands.
He’s an explosive athlete, but he also has very good contact balance and creativity in the open field. #Bears pic.twitter.com/CsXn6ODfji
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) April 30, 2022
New #Bears WR Velus Jones Jr.
— Austin F (@PodGuyFuges) April 30, 2022
The likelihood that Velus Jones becomes as good as Samuel feels like wishful thinking. However, there is no denying he’s an excellent fit for the Bears’ new offense. Luke Getsy plans to run the Shanahan-style system in Chicago. The same one that turned Samuel into a superstar in San Francisco. So if they use Jones the same ways, there is a good chance he will create instant offense for this team in the months to come.
