It was considered a surprise in some circles when Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones didn’t declare for the 2012 NFL draft following his junior season. Jones is a big-name player annually on Heisman Trophy watch lists. He’s been a very productive passer in the Big 12 conference.
Jones will be in the 2013 NFL draft because he’s a fifth-year senior. One college scout explained to Albert Breer of NFL.com, however, that Jones’ NFL stock has fallen since early in his career.
“He would’ve been a late first- or early second-(round pick) last year,” the college scout told Breer. “Now, he looks like a mid-round pick, based on this early part of the year.”
The NFL scouting community is reportedly unimpressed by the way Jones handles adversity.
“[Jones] has all the tools we look for in a quarterback,” said the scout, “but if he gets hit a couple times, he’s done. Lots of skill, absolutely — great size, good arm, accurate, tons of production the last three years. But he’s killing himself. … He shows he can do everything we want him to do, he just hasn’t shown he can do it consistently in pressure situations.
“He’s great if his team gets a lead early and mixes it up on offense. If they get behind, and he’s got to lead them back with a defense pinning their ears back, he struggles.”