When Rashad Weaver suffered a right ACL tear during an August practice and was lost for the 2019 season, the news was considered a potential death knell for the Pitt defense.
Weaver arguably was the Panthers' top defender the year before, as the 6-foot-5, 270-pound defensive end from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, finished with 14 tackles for loss, six-and-a-half sacks, three fumble recoveries and 16 run stuffs. Things then took a darker turn along Pitt's defensive front when Keyshon Camp was lost for the season with a knee injury in the opener against Virginia.
While Jaylen Twyman emerged in Camp's absence and worked his way to second-team All-America honors, Patrick Jones II provided Pitt with consistent and often spectacular play in his first season as a full-time starter at defensive end. During a breakout junior season, Jones had 18 quarterback hurries, 12 tackles for loss, eight-and-a-half sacks and four forced fumbles. He earned second-team all-ACC honors.
With the help of Jones, Pitt's defensive front went from uncertainty following that season-opening loss to Virginia to one of the more productive units in college football. The Panthers averaged 3.92 sacks per game, which was tied with SMU for most in the nation.
Yep, good luck finding a pair of players who improved their professional playing stock more last season than Jones and Twyman. Last month, a CBS Sports mock draft had Jones going No. 9 overall to the Atlanta Falcons, making him the third defensive player off the board. Others have him listed as a potential first- or second-round pick
If those type of projections hold true and Pitt's defense -- boosted by the returns of Weaver and Camp -- plays at a level higher or similar to last season, Jones' decision to bypass the NFL Draft will be a good one.
"Me personally, I wasn't thinking like I was going to leave for the NFL," Jones said last month during a video conference call with reporters. "(Last year) it was my first year starting. So it never really crossed my mind 'til I started talking to people about the opportunity, but it never really was a thought in my head because I know I've got so much more to improve on."
Talk about a scary thought for opponents.
Jones, one of 42 athletes named earlier this week to the Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list given to the defensive player who best combines performance and character, on the field combines size, speed, strength and athleticism. He displays quickness coming off the edge, chase-down speed and a willingness to defend the run. It's a package that helped him turn in dominating performances last season.
And speaking of athleticism, check this out:
?⬆️ pic.twitter.com/eTPM1u4RDI
— Patrick Jones II (@P_jones9) May 7, 2020