Cardale Jones

[jets82]

We all now Mariota and Winston are going top #5 . Even with combines, pro day, interviews and wonderlik test results, I believe they will still do well enough to stay top five draft choices. Most likely one and two so were out that mix. My question is do the Jets take a flyer on Jones in the second or third round if he's available? He is a beast but no experience as far as I know. I know Petty would be the third QB picked but is Jones or Hundley the fourth QB picked? This kid is 6'5", 250 lbs and runs a pro style offense. He is strong as hell, can run when needed, appears to be very smart and makes great decisions on the field and has a gun. Very accurate also.

 

[TebowCan'tThrow]

Would we want to take a QB with like 4 games experience if he even came out?? Sophomore I think.

 

[Elias]

I am watching him now for the first time. He is impressive. Big arm. I don't think he'll be coming out this year. He just fumbled, similarly to how Winston.
He might be someone to keep your eye for next year.

 

[Xmarco]

Dont think he can come out but if Winston not available one more year of Geno might be better than reaching

 

[sg3]

Get a vet stopgap like Moore

Draft Cook in 2016

As long as G-No is tied to the bench or inactive or gone, I have no prob with patience.

 

[jets82]

The kid is 22 or 23 years old and he's a junior I believe, so he is eligible. I'd say if we can draft him in the third or fourth (even better) round, he will beat out Geno or any washed up or journeymen vet who couldn't get it done on their previous teams. Why not, he has NFL QB written all over him. This way, we can draft the o-linemen and two other needs in the first three rounds and possibly get our future QB in the fourth round.

 

[CodieneWanKenobi]

I didn't think he was a Junior yet but if he is in the draft I wouldn't be opposed to choosing him but surely no where before the 3rd. As a GM I'd feel like I was taking a risk due to his lack of film.

 

[flgreen]

He's a sophomore and not eligible for the draft. last night was his 4 th game.

He is certainly a player to watch next year. Kid looked great last night. Of course with Elliott rushing for a mile and a half, made things a bit easier on him

 

[flgreen]

I was mistaken on Jones, he is draft eligible. 4 games? if the kid is smart he will stay in school. If not, I personally was very impressed. Would have to think about this as a mid round pick



What we learned: OSU's Cardale Jones considering NFL jump

By Bryan Fischer and Chase Goodbread
Published: Jan. 13, 2015 at 02:17 a.m.
Updated: Jan. 13, 2015 at 03:34 a.m.


Cardale Jones rose from third string to superstar in Ohio State's last three games.


ARLINGTON, Texas -- Cardale Jones' smile was contagious as a Gatorade bath splashed down on head coach Urban Meyer following Ohio State's emphatic 42-20 win over Oregon in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on Monday night.



CFB Championship:
Ohio State 42, Oregon 20





The quarterback's meteoric rise from third-stringer to starting quarterback for a national title winner is the stuff that those around the state of Ohio will talk about for decades to come. He won three straight games against the three 2014 Heisman Trophy finalists as an underdog, earning comparisons to Cam Newton and Ben Roethlisberger due to his size and arm strength.

His quick rise has been followed by questions as to whether the draft-eligible redshirt sophomore will cut short his stay in Columbus. When asked after the title game whether he will return for another year with the Buckeyes, the affable signal-caller left the door open to capitalizing on his intriguing talents at the next level.

"I'm not going to say 'definitely,'" Jones said. "(The NFL) is something that I'll consider. My most important focus is getting my degree."

Jones attended Fork Union Military Academy for one semester, so he would be the required three years removed from high school to apply for early entry into the 2015 NFL Draft. If he decides to return to OSU, he faces a potentially tough battle at retaining his starting job, despite leading the team to the title, due to the presence of former starter J.T. Barrett and possibly even two-time Big Ten Player of the Year Braxton Miller.

Would Jones accept returning to a backup role?

"Now that's a good question," Jones said. "I don't know."

The potential battle to be the starter for the defending national champions in 2015 was already plenty intriguing. Jones' decision before the Jan. 15 deadline for underclassmen to apply for early entry could just add fuel to the already intense QB fire for the Buckeyes.

Here are nine other things we learned from Monday night's championship game:





2. Ezekiel Elliott is one of the most dynamic rushing talents in the college game. The Buckeyes' sophomore gashed Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon for a combined 696 yards in three postseason games. If TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin put himself in the 2015 Heisman Trophy conversation with a thrashing of Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl, Elliott put himself in the center of it.

3. Dignitary dish: Among the notables on hand for the game were Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James, a big Ohio State supporter, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who is a member of the College Football Playoff selection committee, and of course, Nike CEO and Ducks fan Phil Knight.

4. Somewhere, Kaelin Clay was yelling on his couch at the replay officials. Oregon receiver Byron Marshall apparently learned nothing from Utah's Clay, who lost a touchdown against Oregon earlier this season by inexplicably letting the ball go before he crossed the goal line uncontested. Marshall did pretty much the same thing against the Buckeyes, but unlike Clay, Marshall had his touchdown upheld on replay review.



In a weekly series, draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah polls five NFL personnel executives about college football's top prospects.



5. Chris Ash didn't ask to face all three Heisman Trophy finalists, but that's the hand he was dealt. The Ohio State co-defensive coordinator faced Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon, Alabama's Amari Cooper, and Oregon's Marcus Mariota -- the trio who went to New York in December as Heisman finalists -- in three consecutive postseason games. How did they fare? Gordon was held to 76 yards on 26 carries in the Big Ten title game, his second-lowest total of the season; Cooper was limited to 71 yards on nine catches in the CFP semifinal; Mariota connected on 24 of 37 passes for 333 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

6. OSU athletic director says QB Braxton Miller is returning. Miller, the two-time Big Ten Player of the Year, was seen celebrating with his teammates after their triumphant win over Oregon, but rumors continue to swirl that he'll transfer to another program for his final collegiate season in 2015. However, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said Monday that Miller told him he was coming back to Columbus for next season. "Braxton has told me he's coming back," Smith said. "I don't know what upcoming decision he's got."

7. Buckeyes defensive tackle Michael Bennett had a quiet night. At least, on the field. The senior leader of the OSU defensive line recorded an assisted tackle on Oregon's opening touchdown drive to start the game, but didn't make a stop the rest of the night.







8. Whatever flaws NFL scouts find in Ohio State receiver Devin Smith's game, his ability to stretch the field won't be one of them. Smith made one grab for 45 yards against the Ducks, pushing his average per catch for the season to a whopping 28.2 yards (33 for 931).

9. Pair of Oregon underclassmen still unsure of next steps. Ducks defensive linemen DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead have quickly jumped onto NFL radars thanks to their play in the Ducks' run to the title game. However, neither was ready to announce a draft decision Monday night. "I'm not focused on that right now, I'm just trying to soak it all in with my teammates," Buckner said. "I got an evaluation back but I'm just not going to talk about it, it's not a subject in my head right now." Armstead, considered to be the better prospect of the two, said he had not even received his evaluation from the NFL Draft Advisory Board. "I haven't made a decision yet. I'll have to sit down with my family and pray about it," Armstead said. "It's a tough decision I'm going to have to make."

10. Urban Meyer thinks Marcus Mariota will be great in the NFL. There's plenty of intrigue over Mariota's intentions for the 2015 NFL Draft, and if he decides to apply for early entry, he'll have one fan for sure in OSU head coach Urban Meyer. After containing the Heisman Trophy winner as best as he could to earn a third national title, the veteran coach noted there were plenty of traits the Ducks' signal-caller has that will translate to the next level. "Oh sure," Meyer said. "He'll be a great NFL player."

Follow College Football 24/7 on Twitter @NFL_CFB.

 

[flgreen]

Seven reasons Cardale Jones should declare for the 2015 NFL Draft


By Will Brinson | NFL Writer

January 13, 2015 11:37 am ET



Cardale Jones should consider entering the draft. (USATSI)




With the College Football Playoff wrapped up after Ohio State's impressive 42-20 victory over Oregon, the football world can start focusing on players leaving for the NFL. In the wake of his third start resulting in a third straight trophy, should Cardale Jones be one of the players bolting college football for the 2015 NFL Draft?

Despite only having three starts, Jones is eligible as a redshirt sophomore. He wouldn't confirm nor deny an interest in leaving ("It's something I will probably consider") so it's a possibility. There's actually a good case for it. Here are seven reasons why Jones should go pro:

1. Small Sample Size: From an evaluation standpoint, there's nothing more difficult than not having enough tape of a prospect. Jones' lack of tape is a huge plus for him as far as the draft goes because there's not a whole lot people can scrutinize in order to figure out what kind of prospect he really is. He has 94 career passing attempts! He has also completed 60 percent of his passes and averaged more than 9 yards per passing attempt in his career, while throwing seven touchdowns and two interceptions. His 424 rushing yards on 89 carries (4.77 yards per carry) isn't too shabby either. He could even go so far as to declare and then refuse to throw at his pro day OR the combine, causing an absolute meltdown among NFL folks.

2. Top of the World: What else can he achieve in college, realistically? Urban Meyer can talk Cardale into coming back and possibly winning two more national titles and a Heisman or two, but a) he's not definitely starting (more on that in a second) and b) expecting things to work out now like they have over the past three games is asking a lot. Cardale stepped in as a third-string starting quarterback after Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett went down and promptly beat Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game, beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and beat Oregon in the College Football Playoff National Championship. That's three of the best teams in the country for three different trophies while toppling three Heisman finalists in each game.

3. Prototype: Jones is far from a perfect prospect. But between his "12 Gauge" arm and linebacker-size and running back speed, he feels like a character you would create in Madden.



His size as a human being is almost as big as his arm. He almost feels like a stronger Cam Newton less intent on running the ball.

4. Lack of a QB Class: All due respect to Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston, but this isn't a great quarterback class. Even if you're in the "Winston is a great pro prospect on the field" camp you can't ignore his off-field issues. Mariota won the Heisman and had an incredible career at Oregon, but as with all quarterbacks not named Andrew Luck or Peyton Manning, there's no way to tell for sure. If you're betting who has the better career between those two guys, there's no sure way to go. Next up on the NFL Draft Scout rankings are Brett Hundley and Bryce Petty, the only two other quarterbacks in the top 100. Cardale wouldn't vault to the top of the list or anything, but he's going to be in the discussion as one of the best quarterbacks in this class.

5. Hype: Just like his level of winning, the hype surrounding Cardale isn't going to get any bigger. Dude just rolled through three really difficult opponents en route to winning a title and looked good doing it. He has the tools necessary to succeed at the next level, he didn't do a terrible job in his decision-making by any stretch, and the lack of tape on him makes him that much more intriguing.

6. QB-Needy Teams: Death, taxes and teams needing quarterbacks in the draft. You could argue the Buccaneers, Titans, Bills, Raiders, Redskins, Jets, Bears, Rams, Browns, Texans and Eagles need to do something about the quarterback position. (Derek Carr, Jay Cutler and Robert Griffin III probably reduce this list by three, but there's no guarantee. Peyton Manning could increase it by one.) We'll spend a few months talking about teams being too conservative to draft a guy like Jones in the first (couple???) rounds of the draft and then early May will roll around, someone will freak out and take him way too high. It's how draft economics work.

7. Competition: Cardale isn't the type of dude scared to compete against other players. But the competition could mean he doesn't get to start despite winning a national title.

"I'm not leaving,” J.T. Barrett told Sports Illustrated Monday night. “I don't think Braxton is leaving. I don't think Cardale is leaving. That's being honest. With that, I mean, it's just competition. It's part of football. It's what we're about to do."

But if you're facing the prospect of 1) making a substantial sum of money for doing what you love versus 2) losing your chance to do what you love despite winning a national title because someone beats you out for the job, well, Door No. 1 is pretty attractive.

Miller could still transfer (and play right away by being a graduate transfer) but Barrett isn't going anywhere right now, clearly. Cardale will have his work cut out for him to even keep his job in college.

DISCLAIMER: This isn't a guarantee that Jones will get drafted high or succeed in the NFL. I don't want him reading this -- or any other post-CFP hype pieces -- and thinking he can stroll into the NFL Draft, collect a paycheck and dominate the NFL. Every young quarterback can use more seasoning and more practice at the college level.

There are also great reasons for staying at Ohio State:

1. Winning more titles

2. Develop a skill set

3. Earn a degree

4. Super-serious NFL ruins fun college players

5. College is fun and super awesome

Projecting quarterbacks at the next level is the most difficult thing to do in terms of NFL work. Projecting a guy with three starts at the college level?

An impossible, temptation-filled science.

 

[flgreen]

if this kid comes out, it is really going to throw the draft world into a tizzy LOL

 

[Elias]

I don't think he is going to come out based off the bolded areas below. His talk scares me, I want him to be more confident! Kiper thinks that he could go as high as in the second round pick. He also mentioned how this is a weird situation, there's a chance he Jones isn't the starter next year either.

DALLAS -- One day after leading Ohio State to a national title, quarterback Cardale Jones said he hasn't made a decision about the NFL but added that he's "not ready for that level yet."

Cardale Jones just had one of the most impressive three-game debuts in college football history. What is the scouting report on him, and if he leaves early, where will he be drafted? Todd McShay takes a look. Story Insider

Jones, Ohio State's third-string quarterback, was promoted to starter after season-ending injuries to Braxton Miller and backup J.T. Barrett. The 250-pound third-year sophomore's résumé includes three starts -- a Big Ten title, a Sugar Bowl title and a 42-20 win over No. 2 Oregon in the College Football Playoff National Championship presented by AT&T.

Jones threw for 242 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score against the Ducks.

"I mean, it's very odd," Jones said at Tuesday morning's news conference for the title game winners. "You know, I'm going to be starting three games in three years, and you know, guys play their whole career to have that buildup and have that motivation to play in the NFL. In my personal opinion, I'm not ready for that level yet. I mean, like coach [Urban] Meyer said, it's a conversation me and him will have later down the road. But to me right now, it's far out."

Meyer said he's not ready to talk about what the team's quarterback situation will look like next season, but he reiterated late last week that he expected Miller to return. Barrett told reporters after Monday's game that he expected all of the quarterbacks to return.

"At some point I think I'll be ready to comment on it and have that conversation," Meyer said. "... At some point there will be some conversations, and I think you guys know by now we're pretty transparent about everything we do, and at the appropriate time we'll have those conversations."

Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James could be seen embracing Jones after Monday's game. He was asked at shootaround Tuesday if he had any advice for the QB about declaring for the NFL draft.

"I'm not telling you guys the advice I would give him," James said. "It would be a headline. I don't want the attention distracted away from him. Let him make his own decision. But I will talk to him, but I'm not telling you guys what I'll say."

Meyer, meanwhile, was also asked Monday about his interest in the NFL, and he said, "Not right now."

"I've got a commitment to Ohio State and these players," Meyer said. "I love what I'm doing. Not right now."