Texas Football: Brandon Jones adds depth to struggling Dolphins secondary

The Miami Dolphins secondary is getting a good safety in former Texas football product Brandon Jones, with the 70th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The actual first player off the board out of the Texas football program in the 2020 NFL Draft dropped near the very beginning of the third round. Former Texas starting senior safety Brandon Jones was picked up by head coach Brian Flores and the Miami Dolphins the second round of the draft, 70th overall.

There were three former players out of the Texas Longhorns football program that were realistically anticipated to be the first off the board in the 2020 NFL Draft. Those three included Jones, and wide receivers Devin Duvernay and Collin Johnson. But Jones brings a certain level of versatility and proven experience on the defensive side of the ball that few others left on the board in day two could match.

The high floor of Jones makes him a pretty appealing option for any team that values longevity and multiplicity in an NFL career. And that’s apparently what the Dolphins were looking for out of this safety selection in the third round.

For much of the 2019 season, the Dolphins were the worst team in the NFL. They also traded most of their best players throughout the season. Talents like former Alabama Crimson Tide cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick and former Ole Miss Rebels offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil were offloaded elsewhere and would have Pro Bowl seasons.

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A new dawn is hopefully emerging for Dolphins fans as they get a new wave of talent among an abundance of draft picks in 2020. And there is a lot of defensive backs out of the Big 12 that will hoping to make waves in the Dolphins secondary. That list that now includes Jones also encompasses former Oklahoma Sooners safety Steven Parker and Baylor Bears cornerback Xavien Howard.

Jones might not challenge the likes of Eric Rowe and/or Adrian Colbert for a starting spot in the Dolphins secondary immediately. Rowe is at least a quality starting safety that can help head up this rebuilding Dolphins defensive backfield.

This Dolphins secondary did have a lot of holes in it for much of last season. They forced well under one interception per game, and ranked dead last in passing touchdowns allowed (39), and 26th in passing yards allowed (4,198). The secondary didn’t help much in run defense either.

Rowe was a sure tackler coming up from the secondary last year (only missed six tackles all season), but that was about it. Jones definitely reads the plays well from the snap and can blow up plays in the backfield and at the line of scrimmage. That will be a valuable addition for every level of the Dolphins defense.

The production that Jones will bring to the table from his Longhorns days includes 232 career total tackles, 14.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, three interceptions, seven pass deflections, two forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries. During his last two years on the Forty Acres, Jones was nothing short of a turnover machine at times. He, Caden Sterns, and B.J. Foster made for a very solid defensive back trio since the start of the 2018 season.

This is the second defensive back that Dolphins picked thus far in the draft. They also selected former Auburn Tigers cornerback Noah Igbinoghene in the first round, 30th overall. Jones is the first safety they’ve picked up.

The Dolphins made waves in the first round of the draft when they picked former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa fifth overall. Tagovailoa had serious medical questions entering night one of the draft, but the Dolphins took a flier out on him anyway. Tua suffered a season-ending hip injury against the Mississippi State Bulldogs in 2019.

Last season, the Dolphins finished with a record of 5-11. They got hotter down the stretch, but still finished with a top five pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Their next pick after Jones will come in the fourth round, 136th overall (barring a trade).