After being down and out following his release from the New England Patriots last season, cornerback Jack Jones has no doubt rebounded in a big way since being signed by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Following a season-plus with the Pats that saw him run into some issues with the team, Jones quickly found his footing with Las Vegas, emerging as the team’s No. 1 cornerback, a role he enters 2024 with.
In seven games, Jones was sticky in coverage, giving up a completion rate of 56.3% and a passer rating of 63.0. The Arizona product, who also had a pick-six in back-to-back weeks, finished with a solid PFF coverage grade of 71.9 combined, but his grade in seven games with the Raiders was a very impressive 81.1.
When asked about Jones this week, cornerbacks coach Ricky Manning Jr. made it very clear he’s a huge fan of Jones, whether that be because of his personality or abilities on the football field.
Manning Jr. also revealed that he and his wife have a running joke about the former fourth-round pick.
“Jack’s a character, love it,” Manning Jr. said, per Vegas Sports Today. “It’s funny because me and my wife are always discussing he kind of looks like Nick Cannon to me. Everybody loves Nick Cannon, right? That’s Jack Jones, everybody loves him. He’s a good character guy, he’s hungry, but also he believes in second chances and being able to be here with people that care about you. So, I think it’s going to be a big year for him because of those things, right? We’re still working, we’re still going, we’re still grinding. That dude got some stuff in his legs that you just don’t see… He has some explosive stuff, he’s a ball guy, which I love. I love guys that take away the ball. He can really do some special things. Once he locks in, he focuses, that dude can be pretty good.”
As far as the Nick Cannon comparison is concerned, you be the judge.
Ricky Manning, #Raiders cornerbacks coach, said he has a running joke with his wife that he believes Jack Jones looks like Nick Cannon.
Y’all see it? pic.twitter.com/iLDRbnJvBY
— Levi Edwards (@theleviedwards) June 4, 2024
The addition of Jones has been massive for the Raiders. Not only has he fortified one of the outside cornerback spots, he brings a certain confidence to the defense that will only help things.
“I believe I’m a premier corner already,” Jones said, according to Tashan Reed of The Athletic. “I’m not really worried about what y’all say. I just go out there and play ball.”
“My goal this year is to be the No. 1 defense and make the playoffs,” he added.
While he is no doubt coming off an impressive finish to last season, we’ll have to see him do it again before proclaiming him a top cornerback. That said, he’s in a great position to do so, especially with the help he has in front of him.