D. J. Jones (defensive lineman)

David Oliver "D. J." Jones (born January 19, 1995) is an American football defensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ole Miss. Jones was drafted by the 49ers in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.[1]

D.J. Jones
No. 93 – San Francisco 49ers
Position:Defensive tackle
Personal information
Born: (1995-01-19) January 19, 1995
Dallas, Texas
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:305 lb (138 kg)
Career information
High school:Wren
(Piedmont, South Carolina)
College:Ole Miss
NFL Draft:2017 / Round: 6 / Pick: 198
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career NFL statistics as of 2019
Total tackles:50
Sacks:2.0
Forced fumbles:1
Fumble recoveries:0
Pass deflections:1
Player stats at NFL.com

College career

After impressive years throughout high school, Jones was heavily recruited for football by colleges throughout the U.S.

Jones began his college career at the East Mississippi Community College (Scooba, MS), the school that was featured in the 2016 Netflix documentary "Last Chance U".  During his two seasons in Scooba, Jones helped lead EMCC to a 24-0 record and back-to-back NJCAA National Championships. Prior to transferring, Jones was listed as the No. 3 junior college prospect in the country by 247sports.com and ESPN.com

He later transferred to Ole Miss University and was recognized during the 2015-2016 season as the defensive end MVP. After transferring, Jones immediately became one of the strongest Rebels. According to NFL.com, he benched 440 pounds, squatted 650 pounds and had a max clean of 330 pounds when he finished his time at East Mississippi Community College.

In two seasons at Ole Miss, Jones played in 25 games (15 starts) and registered 70 tackles, 6.0 sacks, 8.5 TFLs, 1 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR, and 1 PD. In 2016, he started all 12 games and tallied 30 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 3.0 TFLs, 1 INT and 1 FR. As a junior, he played in 13 games (3 starts) and notched 40 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 5.5 TFLs, and 1 FF. Began his collegiate career at East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, MS. A two-year starter, he helped guide East Mississippi to a 24-0 record and two NJCAA national championships. As a sophomore, he earned MACJC all-region and all-state honors. Played in 12 games and recorded 29 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 8.5 TFLs, and 2 FFs. In 2013, he played in 12 games and registered 49 tackles, 8.0 sacks, 5.0 TFLs and 1 FF.[2]

Professional career
Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand size 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 0 5⁄8 in
(1.84 m)		 319 lb
(145 kg)		 32 1⁄2 in
(0.83 m)		 10 1⁄4 in
(0.26 m)		 5.04 s 4.65 s 7.73 s 28.5 in
(0.72 m)		 9 ft 0 in
(2.74 m)		 25 reps
All values from 2017 NFL Combine.[3]

Jones was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round, 198th overall, in the 2017 NFL Draft.[4] Jones is a big part of the defensive line rotation and a stalwart against the run. He’s improved every year, with the analytic website Pro Football Focus noting his grade against the run has improved every season, from 57.5 as a rookie to 63.9 in 2018. He was in on 13 percent of defensive snaps in 2017 and 22 percent last season. On October 27, 2019, Jones got his first career sack on Kyle Allen of the Carolina Panthers.

In 2019, Jones started 11 games before suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 14. He was placed on injured reserve on December 14, 2019.[5] Without Jones, the 49ers reached Super Bowl LIV, but lost 31-20 to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Personal life

On October 7, 2019, Jones and his girlfriend, Kayla Fannin, got engaged on the field at Levi’s Stadium in the hours leading up to the kickoff against the Cleveland Browns. Under the ruse of a photo op, Jones sprung a surprise proposal on Fannin, surrounded by friends and family. He took a knee and popped the question. She said yes. “The tears. I can’t hold them back,” she told WPIX. The winning didn’t stop there for Jones. The 49ers routed the Browns, 31-3, to remain unbeaten. “I love her to death,” Jones told the sports network. “I love the game of football, and going 4-0 on Monday night is pretty cool in my book.”[6]

References
  1. "D.J. Jones". www.nfl.com. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  2. "D.J. Jones". www.49ers.com. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  3. 2017 Scouting Combine: D.J. Jones (DL23)
  4. Fann, Joe (April 29, 2017). "San Francisco 49ers Draft Mississippi DT D.J. Jones". 49ers.com. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  5. "49ers Activate DL Kentavius Street; Place DL D.J. Jones on Injured Reserve". 49ers.com. December 14, 2019.
  6. "49ers Player D.J. Jones Proposes To Girlfriend On The Field". HuffPost Canada. October 8, 2019. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.