FB : SU defensive end Jones to forego senior season, enter 2012 NFL Draft
UPDATED: Dec. 30, 7:11 p.m.
Syracuse defensive end Chandler Jones will forego his senior season of eligibility and enter the 2012 NFL Draft.
Jones, a 6-foot-5, 265-pound defensive end who was an All-Big East First Team selection this season, announced his decision via his Twitter account on Friday afternoon.
From his account, Jones tweeted: ‘I have decided to forego my final football season at Syracuse University and enter the 2012 NFL draft.’
Jones also tweeted that he is set to graduate this May from SU. Jones redshirted his freshman season before playing in 32 games during his three years with the Orange.
This past season, he earned the Big East honors despite missing five games with a lower body injury. He still managed to lead Syracuse with 4.5 sacks on the season, and was named Big East Defensive Player of the Week for his two-sack performance in SU’s win over West Virginia on Oct. 21.
‘We will miss having Chandler in our program, but we wish him the best,’ SU head coach Doug Marrone said in a statement.
Jones’ father, Arthur Sr., credited his son’s strong will and ability to strive for his own personal goals with allowing him to declare for the draft.
‘We’re very happy that he was able to achieve his dream,’ Arthur Sr. said. ‘That’s something he always wanted to do.’
He also said that while Jones consulted his parents, he spoke more thoroughly with his brothers: Art Jones, a defensive end for the Baltimore Ravens and former SU defensive tackle, and Jon ‘Bones’ Jones, who is a mixed martial artist and UFC light heavyweight champion.
‘He did more talking with his brothers about that,’ Arthur Sr. said. ‘Art has been through the draft before and he’s been through this process before.’
Art faced the same decision after finishing the 2008 season at Syracuse. The highly-touted NFL prospect returned for a fifth season, but was hampered by a knee injury.
Art missed three games and his draft stock slipped. He was ultimately drafted in the 5th round of the 2010 NFL Draft, 157th overall, by the Ravens.
Arthur Sr. said this factored into Jones’ decision to pass on a fifth season at SU.
Tony Pauline, an NFL draft analyst for SI.com, tweeted on Friday that Jones received a third-round grade from the advisory committee for the NFL Draft. Jones was rated as the No. 6 defensive end prospect for the 2013 NFL Draft by CBS Sports, had he stayed for his fourth year of playing eligibility.
‘Potentially, he’s a good pass rusher,’ Pauline said. ‘He makes a lot of plays up the field, he’s quick, he’s explosive.’
Pauline said Jones’ draft stock will be reliant on his measureables and workouts for pro scouts. The seniors in the draft participated in ‘junior timing days’ last season, which give scouts a chance to check out rising seniors before their senior seasons.
With Jones leaving after his junior season, he does not have those performances to fall back on. Jones’ height, weight and 40-meter dash time in the NFL Combine and pro days will be a key determinant of where he lands in the draft, as it does for all juniors entering early, Pauline said.
‘Do I think he could be a third round choice? Yes, because he’s a guy that makes plays behind the line of scrimmage and he’s a guy who, even though he’s a junior, was highly considered before the injury,’ Pauline said.
Moving forward, Jones will continue to work out and improve his draft stock, his mother, Camille, said.
‘I’m sure he’ll spend the next couple months working out, eating just and doing all he can to build up his strength and his speed,’ she said.
Arthur Sr. expects Jones to attend the 2012 NFL Combine, which takes place from February 22-28, and to participate in individual team’s pro-days.
Jones finishes 10th all-time among Syracuse players in career tackles for loss. He is seventh all-time among SU down linemen in career tackles, with 147.
After announcing his decision, Jones tweeted: ‘I just want to thank all the Cuse fans, alum, teammates, & coaches for supporting me those 3yrs.’
