Chicago Bears NFL Draft Target: Sai'vion Jones

Kirby Lee - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - 5 hours ago

It has been a long time since a Bears offseason has been filled with this much hype, but you can see why. After going through another disappointing season, Chicago finally did what was needed to pour some energy back into this franchise. That all started with the hiring of their new head Coach, Ben Johnson. Johnson is not only one of the youngest coaches but also became the highest-paid coach in franchise history.

Along with his hire came the assistant coaching staff, as Johnson put together one of the more experienced and diverse staffs in the league, anchored by Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen, who will be a huge piece for the Bears. The final piece of putting the Bears back on the map has been one of the more impressive offseasons for any team thus far, as Chicago has addressed nearly every glaring need they had.

That alone makes this team one of the more improved teams in the league, as they are entering the win-now mode that every team looks to get to with a young quarterback. Even with the improvements across the board, Chicago is still looking to address some of its needs by adding depth, and one of those areas is the defense, where Chicago hopes to take its pass rush to the next level.

There is no question that the Bears have one of the best pass rushers in the league in Montez Sweat, but apart from him, the Bears could not get after the quarterback. For their defense to continue to improve and become a top-five unit, they will need the pass rush to improve, and adding a player like Sai’vion Jones in the draft could be a huge depth addition for Allen.

Seen as a fourth or fifth rounder at this point, Jones is one of those players who tests out well and comes with plenty of upside that has drawn the attention of plenty of scouts. Listed as an Edge rusher, Jones is considered massive for an Edge player as he checks in at 6-3 and 280 pounds. His size alone makes him flexible regarding positions, as he could wind up being more of a defensive lineman than an Edge rusher.

While size is one thing, what about the overall production, which is what a lot of teams look for? Well, the production may not be what you would consider elite, but he was consistent for LSU, which is all you can ask for from any college player. Across four seasons, Jones saw action in three of those seasons and went on to accumulate 12 sacks in those seasons.

That included a career high of 4.5 sacks in 2022 and this past season, as that is the type of player he can be at the next level. Add in 99 career tackles, 18 of which were tackles for a loss, and you can see that Jones has a knack for getting to the ball carrier either behind the line or at the point of attack.

Even if he is seen as more of a Day 3 fit, given the ammo that the Bears currently have, you could see them reach for him earlier than most teams would, as he fits into the Dennis Allen 4-3 scheme better than most. He fits the NFL mold when it comes to his size and he brings with him the effort and toughness that coaches rave about with young players.

Jones has a good bend and a couple of reliable moves to unlock the top of the rush, and he rarely works beyond the pocket depth. He is an instinctive pass rusher who not only has twitchy hands but violent hands that allow him to overpower his man at the point of attack.

The one thing that Jones has over every other player in this year's class is his overall effort from snap to snap. Not only does he give 100%, but Jones also exerts maximum energy on every rep, forcing him to fatigue faster than some other players. That is something he needs to work on a bit at the next level, as you need him to get more endurance without sacrificing his overall energy level.

Jones’ translatable traits and rush talent make him an ascending prospect who could see early third-down reps before taking on a starting spot in the future. Look at him comparable to a young Kenny Clark, who took a few seasons to reach his potential, but has now emerged as one of the better pass-rushing defensive linemen in the game.