Velus Jones Jr.

Last updated

Velus Jones Jr.
Velus Jones Jr.jpg
No. 12 – Chicago Bears
Position: Wide receiver,
Return specialist
Personal information
Born: (1997-05-11) May 11, 1997 (age 26)
Mobile, Alabama, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school: Saraland
(Saraland, Alabama)
College:
NFL draft: 2022  / Round: 3 / Pick: 71
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Receptions:11
Receiving yards:127
Receiving touchdowns:1
Rushing yards:154
Rushing touchdowns:1
Return yards:1,077
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR

Velus Tyler Phillip Jones Jr. (born May 11, 1997) is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at USC before transferring to Tennessee.

Contents

Early years

Jones was born in Mobile, Alabama and lived there until his family moved to Saraland, Alabama when he was eight years old. [1] He attended Saraland High School and was named first team All-State as a junior after catching 51 passes for 1,118 yards and nine touchdowns. [2] Jones repeated as a first team All-State selection as a senior. [3] Jones was rated a four-star recruit and committed to play college football at USC. He later de-committed and then briefly committed to play at Oklahoma before re-committing to play at USC. [4] He is of Dutch descent. [5]

College career

Jones began his college career at USC and redshirted his true freshman season. [6] He served as the Trojans' primary kick returner in his redshirt freshman season and gained 760 yards on 31 returns. As a redshirt sophomore, Jones caught 24 passes for 266 yards with one touchdown, returned 21 kickoffs for 483 yards, and also rushed for a touchdown. [7] [8] He returned 29 kickoffs for 704 yards and one touchdown during his redshirt junior season and was named to the second team All-Pac-12 Conference. [9] After the season, Jones announced his intention to transfer from USC and ultimately committed to play at Tennessee. [10]

Jones joined the Tennessee Volunteers as a graduate transfer, and was eligible to play for the team immediately. [11] In his first season with the team he caught 22 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns and led the Southeastern Conference (SEC) with 398 kickoff return yards. [12] Jones decided to utilize the extra year of eligibility granted to college athletes who played in the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic and return to Tennessee. [13] He finished the 2021 season with 62 receptions for 807 yards and seven touchdowns and was named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Year after returning 24 kickoffs for 628 yards and one touchdown and 18 punts for 272 yards. [14]

Statistics

SeasonGamesStartedRushingReceivingKick returningPunt returning
AttYdsAvgTDRecYdsAvgTDAttYdsAvgTDRetYdsAvgTD
USC Trojans
2016 1000——000——000——000——0
2017 1305153.0006467.7003176024.50000—00
2018 1146132.2012426611.1012148323.00000—00
2019 11200——06355.8002970424.30100——0
Tennessee Volunteers
2020 1063165.3002228012.7031839822.10000——0
2021 13911515.0006280713.0072362827.3011827215.100
Career 592115593.9011201,43412.00111222,97324.4021827215.100

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
5 ft 11+3⁄4 in
(1.82 m)		204 lb
(93 kg)		30+7⁄8 in
(0.78 m)		9+3⁄4 in
(0.25 m)		4.31 s1.50 s2.50 s4.51 s7.32 s33.0 in
(0.84 m)		10 ft 1 in
(3.07 m)		18 reps
Sources: [15] [16]

Jones was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round with the 71st pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. [17] He signed a four-year contract with the Bears on May 17, 2022. [18] Jones did not play in the first three weeks of the 2022 season for the Bears due to a hamstring injury. [19] Jones made his NFL debut in Week 4 against the New York Giants on special teams. [20] With the Bears down 20–12 with 2:14 left in the game, Jones muffed a punt on the Bears' own 34 yard line that was recovered by the Giants. [19] Jones scored his first career touchdown on his first career reception in a 29–22 loss to the Minnesota Vikings during Week 5. [19] In Week 6 against the Washington Commanders on Thursday Night Football , Jones muffed his second punt of the season, which was recovered by the Commanders on the Bears 6-yard line. This led to the Commanders' only touchdown of the game, and Bears would go on to lose 12–7. [21] As a rookie, Jones played in 12 games and started two. [22] He led the team in kickoff returns and kickoff return yards. [23]

In the 2023 season, Jones appeared in 14 games. He continued to lead the team in kickoff returns and kickoff return yards with a small role in the offense. [24] [25]

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References

  1. ↑ Inabinett, Mark (February 4, 2022). "Saraland celebrates on Velus Jones Jr. Day". AL.com . Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  2. ↑ Thomas, Ben (January 22, 2016). "Saraland WR Velus Jones flips commitment from USC to Oklahoma". AL.com . Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  3. ↑ Hicks, Tommy (July 28, 2021). "Velus Jones Q&A: Ex-Saraland star ready for season". Lagniappe . Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  4. ↑ Kersey, Jason (January 23, 2016). "Oklahoma football: Four-star wide receiver Velus Jones flips commitment back to USC". Oklahoman . Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  5. ↑ Mayer, Larry (October 29, 2023). "Bears players participating in NFL Heritage Program". ChicagoBears.com. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  6. ↑ Wolf, Scott (December 28, 2016). "Wolf: USC football must seek out next big playmaker". Los Angeles Daily News . Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  7. ↑ McCollough, J. Brady (March 1, 2019). "USC's Velus Jones Jr. and Greg Johnson intend to transfer". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  8. ↑ Eure, Keely (August 14, 2018). "Velus Jones heads into year 3 more familiar with USC's system". 247Sports.com . Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Tennessee announces addition of USC grad transfer WR Jones". APNews.com . January 22, 2020. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  10. ↑ Kartje, Ryan (January 9, 2020). "USC's Velus Jones will finish collegiate career at Tennessee". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  11. ↑ Backus, Will (December 14, 2021). "Tennessee's Velus Jones Jr. gives inside look at summer football workouts". Knoxville News Sentinel . Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Vols' Velus Jones, Jr. Named To Paul Hornung Award Watch List". The Chattanoogan . July 29, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  13. ↑ Paschall, David (January 4, 2021). "Velus Jones announces his return to Tennessee for 2021". Chattanooga Times Free Press . Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  14. ↑ Sparks, Adam (December 14, 2021). "Velus Jones Jr says Tennessee coach Josh Heupel lived up to his promises". Knoxville News Sentinel . Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Velus Jones Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Velus Jones Jr., Tennessee, WR, 2022 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  17. ↑ Mayer, Larry (April 29, 2022). "Bears choose WR Velus Jones Jr. in third round". ChicagoBears.com. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  18. ↑ Mayer, Larry (May 17, 2022). "Roster Move: Bears sign WR Velus Jones Jr". ChicagoBears.com. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  19. 1 2 3 Sharpio, Alex (October 9, 2022). "How Velus Jones Jr. manifested his first career TD". NBC Sports Chicago. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  20. ↑ Medina, Luis (October 2, 2022). "Report: Velus Jones Jr. Will Make His NFL Debut TODAY". Bleacher Nation. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  21. ↑ Shapiro, Alex (October 14, 2022). "Velus Jones Jr. muffs punt again, Bears to consider new return man". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  22. ↑ "Velus Jones Jr. 2022 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  23. ↑ "2022 Chicago Bears Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  24. ↑ "Velus Jones Jr. 2023 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  25. ↑ "2023 Chicago Bears Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
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