Each year, we run a series of post called "90-in-90" here at Niners Nation. The idea is that we'll take a look at every single player on the roster, from the very bottom to the top and break them down a few different ways. This is to help give everyone a basic understanding of a roster. Of course, this roster will change, and some days we'll have more than one so it's not strictly one per day but you get the idea.
Rookie D.J. Jones is a defensive tackle from Ole Miss who was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 2017 draft. Jones spent two seasons at Ole Miss, where he played in 25 games (15 starts), and registered 70 tackles, 6.0 sacks, 8.5 TFLs, 1 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR and 1 PD. He began his collegiate career at East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, MS, where he was a two-year starter. He is a stout player who has remarkable strength and a low center of gravity.
Scouting reports
Basic Info
Height: 6’0
Weight: 321
Age: 22
Experience: Rookie
Cap Status
Jones has a guaranteed salary of $465,000 with a prorated bonus of $36,967. He does not have workout or roster bonuses throughout his four year rookie contract. Jones being cut would result in $36,967 in dead money and a cap savings of $465,000.
What to expect in 2017
The 49ers brought in veteran nose tackle Earl Mitchell during free agency, who played under defensive line coach Jeff Zgonina in Houston. Defensive tackle Chris Jones is also familiar with Zgonina from his days with the Texans. Jones, the rookie, will likely take a back seat to these veterans while learning Robert Saleh’s defensive scheme and adjusting to the speed of the NFL.
Jones has a lot power and likely just needs some time and coaching to become a productive lineman. I’ve included two video compilations of Jones below. The first one is a more unbiased view while the second is more of a hype video. Jones shows power in both videos but also speed in the first video at the 1:33 mark where he sheds the offensive lineman and gets after the quarterback.
Odds of making the roster
While Zgonina says he wants to see a healthy rotation on the defensive line, the depth that the 49ers have at that position leads me to believe that they will try to stash Jones on the practice squad this season. He could get promoted to the 53-man roster if something drastic happens but (knock on wood) I doubt that happens unless it’s deep into the season and he shows incredible growth in his performance.