Charlie Jones Scouting Report

Background

NAME: Charlie Jones

POSITION: WR

SCHOOL: Purdue

HEIGHT: 5’11 3/8″

WEIGHT: 176

CLASS: 6SR

HOMETOWN: Deerfield, IL

HIGH SCHOOL: Deerfield

DOB: 10/29/1998

Career Stats

2018 (12 games at Buffalo): 18 receptions for 395 yards and 3 TDs. 15 kick returns for 289 yards.
2019 (0 games at Iowa): Sat out the season after transferring to Iowa.
2020 (7 games at Iowa): 2 rushing attempts for 38 yards. 22 punt returns for 223 yards and 1 TD.
2021 (14 games at Iowa): 21 receptions for 323 yards and 3 TDs. 7 rushing attempts for 8 yards. 37 punt returns for 285 yards. 25 kick returns for 635 yards and 1 TD.
2022 (13 games): 110 receptions for 1361 yards and 12 TDs. 2 rushing attempts for 3 yards. 18 punt returns for 114 yards. 5 kick returns for 78 yards.

Analysis

Jones is among the most intriguing slot receivers in this class, and for good reason. His hands, especially in traffic, are among the best I’ve evaluated this season. His ability to track the ball in contested situations makes him automatic in the short and intermediate game. This rarely translates to the deep ball, however, where Jones has the ball tracking to play bigger than his frame, but is often out-muscled at the top of his routes. At sub 6’0″ and only 176 lbs, Jones isn’t going to be looked at as a vertical ball winner, but on the outside, he excelled on crossers and routes that allowed him to demonstrate his high end speed. If he gets in front of his defender, Jones has the strength and concentration to box out and make contested catches. It is in Jones’ technique, however, where we begin to see the flaws. Although he is able to get off the line quickly, it’s clear that Jones lacks a diverse release package, which translates to his route running. While he is able to run effective routes, this is largely due to his speed and quickness rather than his technical ability. This lead to a somewhat limited route tree, and someone who was often phased out of the play against physical cornerback play. It’s clear that Jones is a true slot at the next level, and if he is able to develop a more well-rounded route tree, his measurables give him the opportunity to be one of the better inside receivers in the league.