PHILADELPHIA _ The Eagles selected cornerback Sidney Jones in the second round of the NFL draft on Friday night, a pick that could offer tremendous value but also comes with notable risk.
Jones, 20, considered one of the top cornerbacks two months ago, tore his Achilles tendon at his Pro Day in March. That injury put part of his 2017 season in jeopardy and made Jones a medical red flag. But there is no question about the production during his college career, and he could emerge as a No. 1 cornerback for the Eagles. Before the injury, Jones might have been a candidate for the No. 14 pick.
At 6 feet and 186 pounds, Jones ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at the combine and has started since he was a freshman at Washington. He was first-team all-Pac 12 the last two seasons and arrives with coverage ability and ball skills. As a sophomore, Jones led the Pac-12 with 14 pass breakups and intercepted four passes and forced three fumbles. He had three interceptions last year as one of the nation's top cornerbacks, and he has been compared to Kansas City Chiefs standout Marcus Peters.
The Minnesota Vikings traded two spots ahead of the Eagles to take Dalvin Cook, who could have been a target for the Eagles. The fans attending the draft at the Art Museum let out boos that could be heard on TV when Cook's name was announced. But the applause was noticeable when Jones' name was announced.
The Eagles still plugged the biggest hole on the team by selecting a cornerback and could have scored great value if Jones recovers from his injury. However, they will need to be patient with Jones' recovery.
