Colts Set To Meet With Sought-After Wide Receiver Ahead Of 2022 Draft

KEY POINTS

Velus Jones Jr. will pay the Colts a pre-draft visit after sitting down with the Panthers
Jones' age is seen as a concern, but his skillset remains highly touted
The Colts intend to add more speed to the offense with Jones looming as a sensible fit

The Indianapolis Colts are aware that they need to add more speed to their offense, making Velus Jones Jr. an interesting target.

The Colts are reportedly set to host the 25-year-old wide receiver on Wednesday, April 13, a day after Jones visited the Carolina Panthers.

Jones is a popular name linked to the Colts since he fits the bill of what Indianapolis looks for in its receivers.

Although his height is a bit of a concern, he could be a reliable No. 2 or No. 3 option in the NFL.

He is also seen as someone who can contribute right away on special teams using his speed and return abilities.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, Jones’ speed was on full display, running a 4.31 in the 40-yard dash.

Jones averaged 27.3 yards per return on 23 kicks for the Tennessee Volunteers in 2021.

Moreover, he normed 15.1 yards per return on punts in 2021.

Jones had his best season with the Volunteers in 2021. He registered 62 receptions for 807 yards and seven touchdowns.

Another thing worth noting is that Jones will be turning 25 years old just a few weeks after the 2022 NFL Draft.

His age is considered a little older for a prospect, and this has shown in his tree and route running are limited as a wide receiver respectively.

Hence, the best way to utilize the 6-foot wide receiver is situational or in certain sub-packages.

Even with those concerns, pundits see Jones staying on an NFL roster for long–particularly because of his special team's return ability. However, this still depends on how he is utilized.

Offensively, there is no question that Jones would be a key addition to any NFL team as he is solid in and out of his breaks and packs some lower body power.

But being a sixth-year player, critics feel that Jones still lacks offensive production per the scouting report by Acme Packing Co.

Had he joined the NFL Draft in 2021, Jones would have only recorded a single 100-yard receiving game in his college career.

He was able to hit the mark three times in 2021, a reason why his stock is where it’s at today.