It’s impossible not to be overshadowed when playing behind Aaron Donald, but Los Angeles Rams linebacker Ernest Jones is finally getting the credit he deserves. Sure, the acknowledgment is referred to as underestimated, but it is still recognition. Pro Football Focus published an article highlighting the most underestimated player on each squad. They chose Jones for the Rams. Here’s their evaluation of the former 104th pick in the 2021 draft:
“Naturally, Aaron Donald has received all of the attention on the Rams’ defense over the last decade. Jones’ retirement means he deserves more praise, especially if he continues to play as he did in his third season. He finished the 2023 season with an 86.2 PFF overall grade, ranking 13th at his position. He was also one of only three linebackers with run-defense and pass-rush grades above 80.0.
A Deeper Look at Jones’ Role Since the Los Angeles Rams drafted him. Zoltán Buday, PFF’s Senior Analyst and writer of this post, begins to peel the onion that is Jones’ greatness in the final sentence of his analysis, mentioning Jones’ versatility against the pass and the run. Jones has been a defensive Swiss army knife for the Rams even before his breakout season last year, doing whatever was required of him.
He was catapulted into a starting role midway through his rookie season, only to be asked to take a back seat when the Rams signed Bobby Wagner in 2022. Jones was chosen team captain in 2023 and was tasked with calling defensive plays for an inexperienced defense. Furthermore, when the Rams’ pass rush faltered last season, Jones took on a new role as a blitzer. In his first two seasons, he was only deployed as a blitzer 33 times in 32 games. In 2023 alone, he blitzed 58 times throughout 15 games.
Jones has also shown to be an effective pass rusher. He led all linebackers in QB pressures with 37 and finished fourth with six sacks. He also concluded the season with 51 STOPs, a PFF stat that counts tackles that are considered a “failure” by the offense. That was the best of the 2023 team. Jones also missed only two tackles in 934 snaps, one of the best rates among all defenders.
Furthermore, Jones emerged as a leader after veteran players such as Jalen Ramsey and Wagner left the squad. He was voted team captain and served as the defense’s energetic compass in 2023. Here’s what Rams defensive back Quentin Lake told the LAFB Network about Jones’ 2023 season.
“It’s so undervalued. He made a significant contribution to team morale this year. Not only his play. We know he set a franchise record for tackles and sacks this season. But only his vocal leadership. This year, his energy on the team was vital to our success. I believe [Jones] is underappreciated, particularly by the Rams, because other players have achieved success. Man, Ernest Jones had a fantastic year, and I can’t wait to watch what he does in the future year, and hopefully for many more.”
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