2018 NFL Draft: Can Ronald Jones II be an every-down back?

USC’s Ronald Jones II left school a year early to make a name for himself at the pro level. Can he be an every-down back in the NFL? Where will he go in the 2018 NFL Draft?

More: 2018 NFL Draft preview, player profiles and latest mock drafts

There is no question about running back Ronald Jones II’s ability. He showed it off in his three years at USC. Despite being considered one of the top backs in the draft, questions remain over his ability to carry the load for a team and be a full time starter in the NFL.

As a Trojan, Jones II was progressively better each year. He entered as a freshman in 2015, falling 13 yards shy of 1,000 on the year and scoring eight touchdowns. During his sophomore year, he added about a 100 more yards on top of his first year total and tacked on 12 more scores. He saved his best year for last season, where he rushed for 1,550 yards and found the end zone 19 times.

Jones decided to chase his pro dreams early and declare for the NFL draft as a junior. Let us take a look at his attributes and how he stacks up in the field.

Strengths

Jones delivered consistent production as a Trojan. In 40 games, he scored 39 touchdowns on the ground and caught three touchdown passes, although he was not heavily used as a receiver. He is a between the tackles kind of runner and has a quick burst out of the backfield. He has good vision, seeing where the holes open and he makes defenders miss with his one cut ability. Jones is hard to bring down. Ankle tackles rarely work on him so defenders are better off bringing their whole bodies.

One of the biggest items standing out to those scouting Jones is his ball security.  He carried the ball 591 times as a Trojan. Out of all those attempts, Jones put the ball on the ground twice. You read that correctly. Two fumbles in his three years at USC. He will not be giving up the rock easily when it is in his hands. Adding to that is his good downfield blocking and his willingness to stand in for quarterback protection.

Weaknesses

Jones is listed at 205 pounds, but may be a little leaner than his listed weight. He loves to keep pushing and moving the pile forward, which comes with more heavy blows from the defense. Because of this and his smaller playing weight, there are some questions if he can be durable enough throughout a whole season.

He had a hamstring injury during his 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and he finished with a time of 4.66. The time is not reflective of how explosive he can be, but the injury was not a good sign for teams concerned with his durability.

Finally, as mentioned before, he had very limited receiving opportunities at USC. How effective a running back can catch out of the backfield can really boost their playing time in the NFL. Jones will certainly need to work on this when he lands a destination.

Draft Expectations

Jones’ injury at the combine certainly hurt his draft stock, but he probably was not going to be a first round pick anyway. Besides the durability questions, there are plenty of upsides to drafting Jones. His quickness in traffic, his cut backs, balance and speed make him one of the top backs in this year’s class.

Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Complete first round through Pro Days

Jones has a lot of what teams are looking for in a starter and he is a solid option for teams looking at running backs during the second day. Teams looking for his services as a starter should also have a change up running back to manage Jones’ workload effectively through the course of a season.

Projection: Early-to-mid second round