Making the Case for Chris Jones to the New England Patriots

Dominique Easley’s departure from the New England Patriots leaves a hole at defensive tackle. 

But if his short tenure in Foxborough proved anything, it’s that not just any interior defensive lineman can come in and play in the Patriots’ system—not even a talented player like Easley.

Now, with the Patriots apparently making the shift to more of a 3-4 base defense, the linemen will be asked to hold their ground at the line of scrimmage rather than penetrating through the line to make plays in the backfield. The latter was one of Easley’s strengths, the former was not. So, in searching for a new lineman to fill Easley’s vacated snaps, the Patriots will probably be looking in the other direction.

One of the first players they should see is defensive tackle Chris Jones. 

The 6’6″, 310-pound lineman posted 95 total tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, and 10 batted passes in three seasons at Mississippi State. 

But more important than his production, he has the appropriate traits for a defensive lineman in the Patriots defense. He has arms like stilts at 34 1/2″ long, one of several tools at his disposal to help keep blockers at bay. 

Two draft risers from @CFD22: Mississippi State DL Chris Jones, Houston CB William Jackson. Some first-round buzz on both.

— Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) March 31, 2016

According to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, Jones is a fit in either a 3-4 or 4-3 front because he has both “the quickness off the snap to disrupt in the gaps and the strength to control the point of attack.” 

That combination of tools makes him a great fit, given the Patriots’ tendency to change their looks on defense. Every week, the Patriots defensive …

continue reading in source www.bleacherreport.com