Of all the rookies the Bears have added it may be Velus Jones Jr. that has the biggest impact on the 2022 season.
Velus Jones Jr. was the most polarizing draft pick the Chicago Bears made this year, but so far all this man has done was display professionalism at every step of his journey thus far. While many point to his age as a detriment — he just turned 25 today — it’s starting to feel like it’ll be a plus for him as he embarks on his rookie season.
He’s wise beyond his years and has made a positive impression on everyone so far.
The coaches have all praised him for his preparedness and he seems 100% focused on becoming the best he can for for the Bears. Whether that be as a receiver, a returner, or a Percy Harvin-like weapon, he’s ready to maximize his talents and do anything asked of him.
“I was looking for those guys that are explosive and they’re playmakers and they can help in many different areas,” Bears’ GM Ryan Poles said about Jones after the draft, “and that’s what this kid is, and when you get a chance to meet him, you’ll understand that he’s different. He’s special. There’s something about him… there is just an aura about him.”
“He’s all business,” Chicago offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said said of his rookie receiver following minicap. “He came in in a suit. He was ready to go. He takes great notes. Bought his own white board. He came in ready. He was focused. So I’m excited. He’s somebody that’s going to be all-in, focused on trying to figure everything out. It’s a lot for all of those guys right now, but I loved the way he came in, his approach.”
“The whole organization is excited about adding a guy like that,” special teams coach Richard Hightower said about Jones via the team’s website. “We all just kind of got a feel for him as a person. We like him as a person and we like his energy, we like his speed, we like his toughness, we like his athleticism, and we like what he can do.”
Jones was a recent guest on 670 The Score’s Parkins & Spiegel Show, and he talked about his formative years on the gridiron, his time in college, the lead up to the draft including his poor combine 40 time, and where he is now as a professional. It’s a real good interview and you can check the whole thing out right here.