Marcus Jones (cornerback)
| No. 25 – New England Patriots | |||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Cornerback Punt returner | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born: | October 22, 1998 Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 188 lb (85 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Enterprise (Enterprise, AL) | ||||||||||||||
| College: | |||||||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2022 / round: 3 / pick: 85 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Injured reserve | ||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 8, 2024 | |||||||||||||||
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Marcus Elliot Jones (born October 22, 1998) is an American professional football cornerback and punt returner for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Troy Trojans and the Houston Cougars. He was selected by the Patriots in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft.
Early life
[edit]Jones grew up in Enterprise, Alabama and attended Enterprise High School, where he played basketball and football.[1] He was named all-state as a senior after recording 27 tackles with five interceptions and 16 passes broken up on defense and returning three punts and one kickoff for touchdowns.[2]
College career
[edit]Troy
[edit]2017 season
[edit]Jones began his college football career at Troy in 2017. He was named the Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year and second-team all-conference as a return specialist after returning 30 kickoffs for 879 yards and three touchdowns and 14 for 121 yards while also intercepting two passes on defense, one of which was returned for a touchdown.[3]
2018 season
[edit]As a sophomore in 2018, he was named first-team All-Sun Belt as a return specialist after returning 23 kickoffs for 584 yards and one touchdown and to the second-team as a cornerback after breaking up eight passes with one interception.[4]
Houston
[edit]2019 season
[edit]After his sophomore season, Jones entered the NCAA transfer portal and later announced that he would be transferring to the University of Houston in 2019.[5][6] He sat out one season and redshirt due to NCAA transfer rules, maintaining his junior status for the 2020 season.
2020 season
[edit]Jones had 24 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, and one interception on defense during his redshirt junior season in 2020.[7] Jones was also named first-team All-American Athletic Conference as a return specialist after leading the nation with 337 yards on 17 punt returns with one returned for a touchdown.[8]
2021 season
[edit]During his redshirt senior season in 2021, Jones returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown with 17 seconds left against 19th-ranked SMU to win the game 44–37.[9] To cap off the season he won the Paul Hornung Award, given to the nation's most versatile player,[10] and was selected to the Associated Press All-America first-team as a defensive back.[11] He also won American Athletic Conference (AAC) Special Teams Player of the Year along with being named first-team All-AAC as a return specialist and second-team All-AAC as a cornerback.[12]
College statistics
[edit]| Season | GP | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | Kick returns | Punt returns | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo | Ast | Cmb | TfL | Sck | Int | Yds | Avg | TD | PD | FR | FF | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| Troy Trojans | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | 13 | 34 | 15 | 49 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 110 | 55.0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 879 | 29.3 | 3 | 14 | 115 | 8.2 | 0 |
| 2018 | 11 | 23 | 10 | 33 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 584 | 25.4 | 1 | 6 | 49 | 8.2 | 0 |
| Houston Cougars | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | 0 | Sat out due to NCAA transfer portal rules and redshirt | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | 7 | 18 | 6 | 24 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 22 | 22.0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 102 | 20.4 | 0 | 17 | 337 | 19.8 | 1 |
| 2021 | 13 | 36 | 11 | 47 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 2 | 0.4 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 510 | 34.0 | 2 | 26 | 374 | 14.4 | 2 |
| Career | 44 | 111 | 42 | 153 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 9 | 134 | 14.9 | 1 | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 73 | 2,075 | 28.4 | 6 | 63 | 875 | 13.9 | 3 |
Professional career
[edit]Pre-draft
[edit]| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
174 lb (79 kg) |
28+7⁄8 in (0.73 m) |
8+7⁄8 in (0.23 m) | |||||||||
| All values from NFL Combine[13][14] | ||||||||||||
2022: First-team All-Pro
[edit]Jones was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round (85th overall) of the 2022 NFL draft.[15]
In Week 11 against the New York Jets, Jones returned a game-winning punt return touchdown for 84 yards with just five seconds remaining in the 10–3 win.[16] Jones' touchdown was the first punt return touchdown of the entire 2022 season.[17][18] In the Patriots' Week 13 game against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday Night Football, Jones scored his first career offensive touchdown on a 48-yard catch-and-run reception, on the first offensive snap of his career. It was the first receiving touchdown from scrimmage by a defensive back since the Jets' Marcus Coleman in 2000, also against the Bills.[19] In the Patriots' Christmas Eve game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Jones scored on a 69-yard pick six, making him the first player in 45 years to score a touchdown on offense, defense, and special teams in the same season.[20]
Jones finished his rookie season with 39 tackles, seven passes defended, and two interceptions on defense. On offense, he had four receptions for 78 yards and one touchdown. He led the NFL with 362 punt return yards and 12.5 yards per punt return with one punt returned for a touchdown while finishing fifth in the league with 645 kick return yards. Jones was named first-team All-Pro as a punt returner by the Associated Press.[21] He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.[22]
2023: Shoulder injury
[edit]In Week 2 of the 2023 season, Jones suffered a shoulder injury and was placed on injured reserve on September 22, 2023.[23]
2024
[edit]Jones returned in 2024 as the starting slot corner and primary punt returner. He played in 14 games with nine starts, recording 58 tackles, 10 pass deflections, and one interception.
NFL career statistics
[edit]| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
- Defense
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sck | PD | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | ||
| 2022 | NE | 15 | 4 | 39 | 34 | 5 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 7 | 2 | 87 | 43.5 | 69 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | NE | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | NE | 6 | 4 | 22 | 17 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 1 | 35 | 35.0 | 35 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 0 |
| Career | 23 | 9 | 66 | 55 | 11 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 9 | 3 | 122 | 40.7 | 69 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 0 | |
- Offense and special teams
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Kick returns | Punt returns | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 2022 | NE | 15 | 4 | 4 | 78 | 19.5 | 48 | 1 | 27 | 645 | 23.9 | 46 | 0 | 29 | 362 | 12.5 | 84 | 1 |
| 2023 | NE | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 21 | 7.0 | 21 | 0 |
| 2024 | NE | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 11 | 116 | 10.5 | 16 | 0 |
| Career | 23 | 9 | 4 | 78 | 19.5 | 48 | 1 | 27 | 645 | 23.9 | 46 | 0 | 43 | 499 | 11.6 | 84 | 1 | |
Notes and references
[edit]- ^ Boutwell, Josh (January 5, 2017). "EHS star player steps away from basketball court to focus on football". Dothan Eagle. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ Mundee, David (January 30, 2017). "Enterprise star Marcus Jones commits to Troy, other locals set to sign". Dothan Eagle. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ Kennedy, Jahmal (December 11, 2017). "Troy's Jones earns ESPN Freshman All-American honors". WSFA.com. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ Mundee, David (March 30, 2019). "Former Enterprise, Troy star Marcus Jones announces transfer to University of Houston". Dothan Eagle. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ Zenitz, Matt (March 5, 2019). "Troy star enters NCAA transfer portal". AL.com. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ Duarte, Joseph (April 3, 2019). "Ex-Troy All-American cornerback Marcus Jones transfers to Houston". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ Duarte, Joseph (July 19, 2021). "UH's Marcus Jones on Bednarik Award watch list". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ "Texas Tech football vs. Houston: How They Match Up". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. September 3, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ "Houston hands No. 19 SMU first loss on Marcus Jones' 100-yard kickoff return". The Athletic. October 31, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ Duarte, Joseph (December 8, 2021). "Houston's Marcus Jones named Paul Hornung Award winner". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
- ^ AP All-America team: Young and Tide lead with 3 1st teamers by Ralph D. Russo. AP News, 13 Dec 2021. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
- ^ "American Announces 2021 Football Award Winners and All-Conference Teams". theamerican.org. December 1, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
- ^ "Marcus Jones Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
- ^ "2022 Draft Scout Marcus Jones, Houston NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
- ^ "New Patriots DB Marcus Jones: 'Controlling the Controllables'". si.com. April 30, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
- ^ "Marcus Jones' punt return TD with 5 seconds left lifts Patriots over Jets". USA TODAY. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ "NFL Twitter erupts after Marcus Jones' game-winning TD". RSN. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ "Rookie CB Marcus Jones goes 'the distance,' returns punt for Patriots' 14th straight win over Jets". NFL.com. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ "Marcus Jones scores scintillating 48-yard TD for Patriots against Bills". ESPN.com. December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- ^ "Patriots' Marcus Jones intercepts Joe Burrow for 69-yard pick-six". ESPN.com. December 24, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
- ^ "Patriots land one player on 2022 AP All-Pro teams, rookie Marcus Jones". Boston Herald. January 13, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ "2022 NFL All-Rookie Team". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
- ^ "Patriots Sign QB Will Grier to the 53-man Roster from the Cincinnati Practice Squad; Place DB Marcus Jones on Injured Reserve". Patriots.com. September 22, 2023.
External links
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