STORRS, Conn. -- The Patriots got another up-close look at University of Connecticut corner Byron Jones during the Huskies pro day on Tuesday.
Jones made a very strong first-impression on the entire league when he lit up the Combine in February, setting a world-record in the broad jump (12-feet-3) and jumping 44.5 inches in the vertical.
His did not participate in the 40-yard dash or the bench press in Indianapolis, as he was recovering from season-ending shoulder surgery. But all 32 teams descended on the Nutmeg State and made their way inside UConn's Shenkman Training Center to watch Jones do both events in addition to some on-the-field drills.
Jones began the day by meeting with the Patriots for breakfast. The pro day then got underway at 8:45 a.m., starting with measurements of height and weight and the bench press.
Jones put up 225 pounds 18 times, a personal record, and then followed that up with a blazing 40-yard dash that was timed in the mid 4.3-second range. The 4.36-second run reported by UConn would have been the second-fastest among all corners at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Patriots college scouting coordinator Brian Smith took charge of the proceedings for the handful of Huskies players participating, moving them from drill to drill in a timely fashion and diligently recording all measurements and times.
Patriots cornerbacks coach Josh Boyer arrived at the training center just in time to watch Jones go through his positional drills. He watched intently, monitoring the footwork of the 6-1, 199-pounder, as well as how Jones tracked passes and then attacked them at their highest point.
New England Patriots
For many talent evaluators in attendance -- a group that included Eagles coach Chip Kelly, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer and Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie -- those drills and the athletic testing are supplementary to what a prospect has put on tape during his college career.
The Patriots are no different. Had they been turned off by the 4.6-second 40-yard dash that Malcolm Butler posted at Alabama's pro day last year and ignored his tape, they may still be waiting for the franchise's fourth Super Bowl title.
The workouts are a piece of the puzzle, though, and Jones, by his own admission, had an up-and-down run during his position drills.
What gave him a little bit of difficulty was that Zimmer did his best to teach Jones a new technique on the fly -- with a taller, more relaxed upper body and an altered backpedal -- which took some getting used to.
"If I'm going to be on his team," Jones said, "then I have no problem working on those techniques . . . Everybody's cut from a different stone. Everybody thinks they got the right answers so whatever team I go to, that team has the right answers. Whatever that is, I'm with it."
His footwork in the drills was not pristine, but Jones showed an ability to track the ball and soft hands while hauling in passes deep down the field.
If the Patriots were inclined to select a corner with the No. 32 pick in the first round of this year's draft, Jones could be a good fit. His technique may need some tweaking, but he's seen as an intelligent prospect who retains information well and is open to coaching. He was a captain at UConn and was described on Tuesday as the ultimate teammate.
Jones explained that he's currently more comfortable as a press corner, but he believes he could be a versatile corner and play off coverage with more experience -- something that would be valued in New England's variable defensive schemes.
And of course his workout numbers, while far from the most important element of his pre-draft evaluation, certainly won't hurt his prospects of fitting in with any team.