Marcus Jones (cornerback)

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Marcus Jones
No. 25 – New England Patriots
Position:Cornerback,
Return specialist
Personal information
Born: (1998-10-22) October 22, 1998 (age 25)
Enterprise, Alabama, U.S.
Height:5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight:188 lb (85 kg)
Career information
High school:Enterprise
College:
NFL draft:2022 / Round: 3 / Pick: 85
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Interceptions:
2
Return yards:1,028
Total touchdowns:3
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Marcus Elliot Jones (born October 22, 1998) is an American football cornerback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Troy and Houston and was drafted by the Patriots in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft.

Early years

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

Troy

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]

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

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.

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]

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

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

Pre-draft measurables
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

See also: 2022 New England Patriots season

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]

2023 season

See also: 2023 New England Patriots season

In Week 2 of the 2023 season, Jones suffered a shoulder injury and was placed on

injured reserve on September 22, 2023.[22]

NFL career statistics

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 0 0 1 1 0 0
Career 17 5 44 38 6 2.0 0.0 7 2 87 43.5 69 1 2 2 0 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 — — — — — — — — — — 3 21 7.0 21 0
Career 15 4 4 78 19.5 48 1 27 645 23.9 46 0 32 383 12.0 84 1

References

  1. ^ Boutwell, Josh (January 5, 2017). "EHS star player steps away from basketball court to focus on football". Dothan Eagle. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  2. ^ Mundee, David (January 30, 2017). "Enterprise star Marcus Jones commits to Troy, other locals set to sign". Dothan Eagle. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  3. ^ Kennedy, Jahmal (December 11, 2017). "Troy's Jones earns ESPN Freshman All-American honors". WSFA.com. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  4. ^ "Former Enterprise, Troy star Marcus Jones announces transfer to University of Houston". Dothan Eagle. March 30, 2019. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  5. AL.com
    . Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  6. ^ "Ex-Troy All-American cornerback Marcus Jones transfers to Houston". Houston Chronicle. April 3, 2019. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  7. ^ "UH's Marcus Jones on Bednarik Award watch list". Houston Chronicle. July 19, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  8. ^ "Texas Tech football vs. Houston: How They Match Up". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. September 3, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  9. ^ "Houston hands No. 19 SMU first loss on Marcus Jones' 100-yard kickoff return". The Athletic. October 31, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  10. ^ "Houston's Marcus Jones named Paul Hornung Award winner". Houston Chronicle. December 8, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ "American Announces 2021 Football Award Winners and All-Conference Teams". theamerican.org. December 1, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  13. ^ "Marcus Jones Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  14. ^ "2022 Draft Scout Marcus Jones, Houston NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  15. ^ "New Patriots DB Marcus Jones: 'Controlling the Controllables'". si.com. April 30, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  16. ^ "Marcus Jones' punt return TD with 5 seconds left lifts Patriots over Jets". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
  17. ^ "NFL Twitter erupts after Marcus Jones' game-winning TD". RSN. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
  18. ^ "Rookie CB Marcus Jones goes 'the distance,' returns punt for Patriots' 14th straight win over Jets". NFL.com. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  19. ^ "Marcus Jones scores scintillating 48-yard TD for Patriots against Bills". ESPN.com. 2022-12-02. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
  20. ^ "Patriots' Marcus Jones intercepts Joe Burrow for 69-yard pick-six". ESPN.com. 2022-12-24. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
  21. ^ "Patriots land one player on 2022 AP All-Pro teams, rookie Marcus Jones". Boston Herald. January 13, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  22. ^ "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.

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