**2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Matt Jones, Linebacker, Baylor**
*Written by Hunter Kirkhope | Follow on X: @hunterkirkhope | IG: @hunterkirkhope*
**Matt Jones**
– **School:** Baylor
– **Position:** Mike Linebacker
– **Height:** 6’4” | **Weight:** 246 lbs
– **Year:** Senior | **Jersey #:** 2
– **Hometown:** Odessa, TX
**Games Reviewed:** Utah, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, LSU
**2024 Stats:** 104 Total Tackles, 64 Solo, 6 Pass Deflections, 4 Sacks, 1 Forced Fumble
**Career Stats:** 317 Total Tackles, 200 Solo, 17 Pass Deflections, 12 Sacks, 4 Forced Fumbles, 1 Interception
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### **Scouting Report by Hunter Kirkhope**
#### **Critical Factors**
– **3-Down Ability:** 7
– **FBI/Instincts:** 8
– **Play Speed:** 7
#### **Positional Factors**
– **3-Level Impact:** 7
– **QB Defense:** 6
– **Stoutness:** 8
– **Shed Ability:** 6
– **Navigate Trash:** 7
– **Tackling:** 8
– **Man Coverage:** 6
– **Zone Coverage:** 7
– **Range:** 6
– **Blitz:** 8
– **Toughness:** 8
– **ST Value:** 7
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### **Strengths**
– **FBI/Instincts:** Exceptional ability to diagnose plays and react quickly.
– **Tackling:** Reliable and consistent, rarely misses opportunities to bring down ball carriers.
– **High Motor:** Plays with relentless effort and physicality, excelling in gap control and run support.
– **Zone Coverage:** Strong awareness and positioning to disrupt passing lanes in intermediate areas.
– **Blitzing:** Effective timing and physicality when rushing the quarterback.
### **Weaknesses**
– **Man Coverage:** Struggles to keep up with faster running backs and tight ends in space.
– **Shed Ability:** Inconsistent at disengaging from blocks, particularly against stronger linemen.
– **Closing Speed:** Average recovery speed limits his ability to make plays in coverage or chase down ball carriers.
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### **Overall**
Matt Jones is a cerebral, physical linebacker with the instincts and toughness to anchor the middle of a defense. His ability to diagnose plays quickly and react decisively makes him a reliable run defender and an effective blitzer. Jones plays with a high motor, consistently displaying effort and physicality, which allows him to excel in gap control and support. While his zone awareness is a strength, his man-coverage skills are limited, and he struggles to shed blocks consistently. Despite these limitations, his leadership qualities and relentless effort make him a valuable asset for defenses seeking a disciplined, hard-nosed linebacker.
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### **Pass Game**
Jones shines in zone coverage, where his instincts and awareness allow him to anticipate routes and disrupt timing between quarterbacks and receivers. He positions himself well to contest passes and has shown the ability to create turnovers. His blitzing ability is a standout trait, as he times his rushes effectively and uses his physicality to break through protections. However, his man-coverage skills are a concern, as he often struggles to stay with faster or more agile targets. Improving his footwork and hip flexibility will be key to enhancing his effectiveness in man-to-man assignments.
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### **Run Game**
Jones is a standout run defender, consistently diagnosing plays quickly and filling gaps with authority. His tackling technique is reliable, and he rarely misses opportunities to bring down ball carriers. While his ability to disengage from blocks needs improvement, his effort and physicality allow him to disrupt running lanes and maintain gap integrity. His lateral agility isn’t elite, but his instincts and motor compensate, enabling him to make plays outside the tackles when needed.
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### **Last Word**
Matt Jones projects as a versatile linebacker with starting potential in a run-heavy or blitz-oriented defense. His physicality, intelligence, and leadership ensure he will contribute early in his career, particularly in base packages and on special teams.
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### **About the Analyst: Hunter Kirkhope**
Hunter Kirkhope is a sports analytics professional with a strong background in data science and performance analysis. His work includes providing insights to optimize team performance using tools like Banjo and Connect Teams. He has tracked live statistics for March Madness 2024 and 2025 and completed a sports analytics certification course through a mock college football game evaluation.
Hunter is pursuing a degree in Sports Data Analytics and Statistics at the University of Akron, where he has excelled in courses like Programming for Data Science, Survival Analytics, and Advanced Statistical Computing. He has also competed in the 2023 and 2024 Cleveland Cavaliers Hackathons, showcasing his data analysis skills in a competitive environment.
With experience managing game-day operations for the Akron Facilities Staff and serving as Head Field Crew Manager for the Twinsburg Baseball League, Hunter brings strong leadership and operational expertise to his work. His technical proficiency includes tools like SAS, SPSS, R, Python, C++, and Matlab, making him a valuable asset in sports analytics and scouting.
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