Rookie Spotlight: Charlie Jones, Purdue
Height: 6-0 (unofficial)
Weight: 188 (unofficial)
Hands:
Arm:
40 yard dash: 4.43
2023 Age: 25
NFL Comparison: Braxton Berrios, Adam Thielen, David Sills
Breakout Age: 24 (redshirt senior)

Offensive Market Share Metrics (Final Season)
Receptions: 30%
Receiving Yards: 35%
Receiving TDs: 46%
Total Production Percentage: 37%

As a high school prospect: Class of 2017; 2-star

Pros
Extremely productive in final year at Purdue
One of PFF’s top-ranked WRs in all of FBS in 2022
Not afraid to go over the middle
Reliable hands
Diverse route tree
Adept body control
Good footwork on routes
Productive on special teams/return game

Cons
Lacks deep speed
Release is just OK
Doesn’t create much separation
Will turn 25 during rookie season
Did not break out until his sixth college season

Scouting Notes:
Jones was a late bloomer in college, spending time at Buffalo and Iowa in mostly special teams before finding his footing at Purdue. There, he became their lead WR, catching 110 passes for 1,361 yards and 12 TDs in 2022. Old for a rookie, Jones will be 24 when he enters the league and will be 25 by October, but he brings with him a fearlessness that eludes a lot of younger players. Jones isn’t afraid to sacrifice himself for the ball, whether it be laying out for an errant pass or running headlong into traffic over the middle of the field – He’s not a big guy, but he plays like it. Most effective in the short to intermediate game, Jones uses quick feet to move past his defender, though I’d like to see him use his strength and hands to dispel coverage more often. His short space quickness won’t be as effective at the next level, and he’ll need more tools to win. That being said, Jones is a dog at the catch point and has reliable hands (only a 2.3% drop rate in 2022). He runs a diverse route tree, and will make the occasional big play downfield, though he’s not going to have much separation when he does it – Jones doesn’t have the long speed to take the top off of a defense. After the catch, Jones can evade capture if he has the angle, but he’s not a consummate tackle breaker. His meager 3.9 yards after catch/reception tells that story well. Jones plays like he knows where to be at all times, and that kind of professionalism will help his NFL stock.

Fantasy Outlook:
Jones isn’t a special athlete, but he’s got quickness and solid body control. If he can separate with success at the Senior Bowl and log some fast 3-cone drill times at the Combine, in addition to showing off those sticky hands, Jones could land in a decent spot come day 3 of the draft. He doesn’t profile as a no.1 WR in the NFL, but he could provide decent PPR value in fantasy in the right situation.