Chicago Bears 2017 mock draft: Full seven-round draft
The Chicago Bears need a new attitude and atmosphere around the locker room. In order to do that, there is a champion defensive lineman at one, an extremely confident corner at two, and now a sure-handed wide receiver who grew up around the NFL.
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Zay Jones’ father played with the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990’s and won three Super Bowls with them. His brother, Cayleb, currently plays receiver for the Minnesota Vikings. Also, his uncle, Jeff Blake, was a quarterback in the NFL for 14 seasons. The NFL competition won’t faze him. Kids who grow up around professional sports are usually more grounded if or when they become professionals themselves.
What makes Jones is his elite catching ability. He is the all-time FBS catches record holder. His hands are elite. He doesn’t use his body to make catches. He reaches out and snags the ball away, getting to the ball at its highest point and preventing the defender to get to the ball or to jar it off his body. In addition, he is willing to go into traffic to make the tough catch.
Jones is also an excellent route runner. He gets to where he’s supposed to be. While he doesn’t possess elite speed, the Bears won’t need him to stretch the defense. They signed Markus Wheaton and Kendall Wright, both speedy receivers, so having a dependable receiver underneath is of great importance.
Another important aspect of Jones’ game is his blocking. He is a willing blocker who won’t fake it when the ball isn’t going his way. Say what you will about former Chicago Bears receiver Brandon Marshall, but he was (and still is) an excellent blocker. Jones shows a willingness to be just as good.
The addition of Jones improves both the attitude on the field and the one in the locker room. Drafting him makes a lot of sense.