Brandon Jones drafted by Miami Dolphins

By Steve Lansdale

The overhaul of the Miami Dolphins will have a Texas flavor to it after the Dolphins selected Texas safety Brandon Jones in the third round of the 2020 NFLDraft, with the 70^th overall pick.

“I didn’t know who was on the board at the time and I got a call from Fort Lauderdale, Florida,” Jones said. “I answered it and talked to the coach (Brian Flores) and the GM (Chris Grier), and I was legit speechless. I was shocked. Everybody downstairs thought it was a prank call. They thought I went upstairs and prank called myself. They didn’t believe I was on the phone. I told them it was the Dolphins and everyone froze and then got hyped and started screaming, so I could barely hear. It was an experience I’ll remember forever.”

Texas head coach Tom Herman said the Dolphins are getting a player whose play is as much a result of intelligence and character as it is his physical attributes.

“In Brandon, they’re getting a remarkable young man who has a heart of gold and is very smart and instinctual,” Herman said. “He is the best open-field tackler that I’ve ever coached. He gets them on the ground one way or another. He can come downhill and hit you in the run game, but can also roam center field and is extremely fast.”

The Dolphins’ selection of Jones[s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)] marked the seventh time in the last 11 years, and the 25^th in the last 30 drafts, that a UT safety or cornerback has been selected.

He also is the fifth Longhorn drafted by Miami, joining Glenn Blackwood in 1979, John Stuart in 1986, Rod Wright in 2006 and Kheeston Randall in 2012).

Jones started 35 of the 46 games in which he played at UT, collecting 233 tackles (175 solo), 14 tackles for loss, defending 11 passes and pulling down four interceptions. He earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors in 2018 and started the 2019 season on the watch lists for the Lott IMPACT and Bronko Nagurski trophies. He ended the season as a Lott IMPACT quarterfinalist and a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Man of the Year award after leading the Texas defense with 86 tackles, including 64 solo stops.

“What I really like is he can play high and he can play in the slot — that’s what really got my attention this past year: his ability to cover as a slot. That’s critical in the NFL,” ESPN analyst Mel Kiper, Jr., said. “Defensive coordinators love safeties that can do that and provide that type of versatility. At Texas, he was arguably, if not their best defensive player, certainly one of their top two. I thought overall this year he was an outstanding football player. That’s a really nice pick at that point in the third round for the Miami Dolphins.”

Herman said that Jones’ contributions will extend far beyond his physical skills.

“He’s a consummate pro,” Herman said. “He studies his craft and studies not just himself and techniques, he studies the great ones in the NFL and the great ones in college, as well, some of his peers. He’s always studying and always trying to make himself better. He really enjoys that part of the game: the scheme and X’s and O’s part of the game.”

Jones said he understands that the Dolphins are rebuilding, and he is eager to be a part of that process.

“I know it’s going to be really fun. They’re an organization that’s building, and it’s going to be really exciting to be around those guys,” Jones said. “Everybody on that team has the same goals and same dreams and aspirations that I have, so I thought it was a really great fit for me. I definitely know the DB room is going to be competitive and that those guys will take me under their wing. I’m really excited to learn and take in as much as I can, and hopefully, whether it’s on defense or special teams, just earn my way on the field as soon as possible.”
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