3 numbers prove why the Chicago Bears stole Velus Jones Jr. in the draft
By Ryan Heckman
Chicago Bears rookie Velus Jones Jr. was graded in the 100th percentile for separation
Lastly, another sticky stat when it comes to a college wide receiver translating to the NFL is separation. One of the major concerns regarding first-round guys like Drake London and Treylon Burks was their inability to gain consistent separation.
However, that’s not an issue with Jones. Per Pro Football Focus, Jones was graded in the 100th percentile when it came to separation.
That means, Jones was able to get open and separate from coverage better than pretty much anybody else in his class. So, for those who want to clamor that Jones is “purely a gadget guy” or “a little more than a return man,” they would be dead wrong.
Jones is not just a gadget guy. He’s not just a return guy. That’s not why the Bears drafted him. Ryan Poles drafted Jones because he evaluated the more translatable traits and saw that Jones will not have a problem playing at a high level in the NFL.
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If the Bears drafted a wide receiver who ran a 4.31 forty, separates better than anyone else in his class and gains more yards after the catch than almost everybody in his class, then you can bet this offense just got a potential star.