The SEC’s 25 best players: No. 6
Making the case for Jones: It goes without saying that some people will look at Jones’ numbers from a year ago and scratch their heads as to why he’s this high. After all, he had even better numbers as a freshman. But numbers alone don’t begin to tell you how good a football player Jones is. He’s bigger, stronger and healthier than he was for much of last season and poised for his best season yet. Once his knee rounded back into shape a year ago, Jones looked like his old self. Always a relentless blocker in the run game, he was at his best when the Crimson Tide needed him to be at his best. Remember his 73-yard catch and run for a touchdown against LSU in the fourth quarter? How about his clutch performance on that final drive to beat Auburn? What makes Jones so special is that he has the strength, size and leaping ability to get the best of any cornerback in a one-on-one situation, and he’s one of those guys who almost never goes down on the first hit. But he also has explosive straight-end speed. When he gets in the clear, you don’t see anybody catching him.
ESPN.com
6/28/10
