Why looking for red flags will help Steelers avoid mistakes of the past

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PITTSBURGH, PA – AUGUST 28: Jarvis Jones #95 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on from the sidelines during a game against the Carolina Panthers at Heinz Field on August 28, 2014 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

EDGE Jarvis Jones

1st round, 2013

Red flags:

Horrible athletic testing
Somewhat undersized as a full-time edge player
Schemed free in college, more of a blitzer than a pass rusher
Spinal cord issue

Here are some red flags the Steelers should have seen coming a mile away. Though Jarvis Jones was wildly productive at Georgia (24.5 tackles for a loss, 14.5 sacks in 12 games as a senior), his testing numbers were more than concerning. Jones 4.92-second 40-yard dash at his Pro Day tested in just the 8th percentile of outside linebackers. His 7.43 3-cone was also in the 8th percentile, and his 4.69 20-yard shuttle was historically bad (1st percentile). These numbers are almost always faster at the Pro Day as well, and Jones likely would have tested even worse had he participated at the NFL Combine.

However, pathetic athletic testing wasn’t his only red flag. Jones had a severe spinal cord, and possibly spinal stenosis (or narrowing of the spine). Also, He didn’t possess ideal size as a full-time edge rusher, and he was often uncontested or matched against a tight end when blitzing from the edge in college.

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