Broderick Jones Scouting Report and NFL Draft Player Profile

 

2023 NFL Draft Measurements

Broderick Jones scouting report 40-Yard Dash Time – 4.98

6’4” / 310 lbs.

 

Broderick Jones Draft Profile

Broderick Jones is a former 5-star recruit from Lithonia High School in Lithonia, Georgia. According to 247sports, Jones was the 4th best recruit out of Georgia in the 2020 recruiting class. The three players he was ranked behind were Will Anderson Jr., Arik Gilbert, and Myles Murphy. He was also the 3rd best offensive tackle behind Paris Johnson and Jack Nelson. While achieving this status, he received a total of 7 offers. The reason why he only got 7 offers is that he committed to Georgia in 2018. But some of the schools that offered him were Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, and Georgia.

According to PFF, he has played in 634 pass-blocking snaps prior to the National Championship. In those snaps, he only allowed 2 sacks, 3 QB hits, 12 hurries, and 17 pressures. He has also played in 696 run-blocking snaps.

 

Strengths

 

 

Athleticism

Broderick Jones is one of the most physically gifted offensive linemen in the 2023 NFL Draft Class. When lined up in a 2-point stance, he is very explosive off the snap in run-blocking schemes. This allows him to engage in contact and get his hands in the right position to steer the defender. He is also relatively light on his feet for his size. His quick feet allow him to quickly get to get to the 2nd level as well as pull block in gap run schemes. Jones is also good at staying balanced when pull blocking, allowing him to keep his pad level low.

Jones also has good lateral agility to adjust to stunts and twists. He is especially good at adjusting to stunts where he works back toward the inside.

 

Play Strength

Broderick Jones has amazing strength that allows him to overpower defenders at the point of attack. This power lets him consistently win in run-blocking schemes where he needs to steer and contain defenders. His strength and solid hand placement allow him to contain speed rushers to the middle of his body if they don’t beat him immediately. Although Jones is far from a polished pass blocker, he does possess the lower body strength necessary to slow down bull rushers.

 

Gap Blocking

As I briefly mentioned earlier, Jones is a very good pull blocker. This is due to him being light on his feet and maintaining his balance to quickly move across the line. When Jones is drive-blocking, he does a good job of keeping his pad level low. He does this by sinking his hips and keeping his back parallel to the ground. This allows him to attack the hips of the defender and force them off-balance. Jones is also very explosive off the snap which allows him to engage in contact when drive blocking. This often opens up a lane quickly for the ball carrier. It also forces defenders off balance for an easy gain on QB sneaks. Jones shows good awareness to take on double teams and open up lanes for the ball carrier.

 

Zone Blocking

Jones is also very effective in zone run schemes. He does a good job of quickly making his way to the 2nd level on inside and outside zone runs. Jones is very good at getting to his blocking assignment quickly. His hand placement and upper body strength allow him to steer defenders to open a lane for the ball carrier.

He does have a tendency to get upfield too quickly, leaving a hole for a defender to make a tackle in. One specific play stands out to me the most. Against Missouri this season, Jones was making his way to the 2nd level and was 8 yards down the field briefly after the snap. This left a wide-open gap in the line to stop the run behind the line of scrimmage. In order to prevent this, Jones needs to improve his vision when making his way to the 2nd level. This would allow him to stop any blocker around him and would open up more lanes.

 

Weaknesses

 

 

Use of Hands

As I briefly mentioned earlier, Jones is far from being a polished pass blocker. A big reason why this is the case is because of his hand placement. Ideally in pass protection, he should keep his hands on both of the defender’s pectorals. If the defender gains outside leverage, then he should place his hands on the outside bicep to contain them. But, I rarely see Jones put his hands in either of those locations. Jones has a tendency to get his hands too high and close to the shoulder pads. When he is getting beaten on the outside, he has a tendency to get scrappy with his hands. This often leads to a holding penalty or a QB pressure.

 

Pass Protection

Broderick Jones needs to improve on almost every aspect of his pass protection if he wants to be good in the NFL. When blocking the bull rush, he has a tendency to get vertical. This leads to him losing most of his power, allowing the defender to pressure the QB. He also needs to improve his footwork. He consistently showed that he lacks the foot speed to quickly get to his set point. When he engages in contact, he often stops moving his feet. This can make him susceptible to spin moves and other moves allowing the defender to work back inside.

 

Broderick Jones Draft Stock

When looking at other big boards, I often see Jones as a 1st round lock. I was on board with this when I did my Mid-Season Mock Draft because I had the Jets getting him at pick 23. The Jets would be a good fit for him because they need a new starting right tackle and that’s where I would line him up in the NFL. This is because I am not confident enough in his pass protection to be a blindside blocker. So, the highest I would draft him is the very end of the 1st round. But I would be most comfortable taking him in the 2nd round.

 

Final Thoughts on Broderick Jones

Broderick Jones is one of the most physically gifted offensive linemen in this draft class. For his size, Jones is light on his feet which allows him to have a big presence in the run game. He is good at pull-blocking across the line in gap-blocking schemes. Jones also does a good job of keeping his pad level when he is drive blocking When zone blocking, Jones is skilled at quickly making his way to the 2nd level. Once he is there, he does a good job of getting his hands on the defender and overpowering them at the point of attack. In order to be a great starter in the NFL, he needs to work on his pass protection. I also believe that he would be best fit as a right tackle in the NFL.

 

Broderick Jones Player Comparison

Everything about Broderick Jones reminds me of a more raw version of Ikem Ekwonu. He has some improvements to make before he is as good as Ekwonu. But their play styles are very similar.

Broderick Jones Scouting Report Analyst-Matthew Lewis