Senior Bowl 2019 Interview – Daniel Jones

Daniel Jones – QB (Duke)

Measurables:  Hgt:  6’ 5 ¼”    Wgt:  220 lbs.  Hand:  9 ¾”     Arm:  33 ¼”     Wing:  78 ¼“

PROFILE: 

JUNIOR (2018): Three-year letterman (2016-17-18) … two-year team captain (2017-18) … two-time recipient of the Carmen Falcone Award as Duke’s Most Valuable Player (2016 & 2018) … three-time Academic All-ACC selection (2016-17-18) … two-time ACC Quarterback of the Week (vs. Northwestern, 2018; vs. North Carolina, 2018) …… in 36 career games (36 starts), completed 764-of-1,275 (.599) passes for 8,201 yards with 52 TDs… posted a career pass efficiency rating of 122.86 … rushed 406 times for 1,323 yards (3.26) and 17 TDs … on Duke’s all-time charts, finished career ranking second in pass completion percentage, second in pass completions per game (21.22), second in most games with 2+ TD passes (16), second in games with 40+ pass attempts without an INT (5), second in total offensive yards … suffered fractured left clavicle in the second game of the 2018 season versus Northwestern and underwent surgery on September 9th … after missing the next two games, he returned to action on September 29^th and for the season, completed 237-of-392 (.605) passes for 2,674 yards with 22 TDs while rushing 104 times for 319 yards… recorded a pass efficiency rating for the season of 131.69 … was named Offensive Player of the Game of the 2018 Walk-On’s Independence Bowl vs. Temple, where he completed 30-of-41 passes for 423 yards and 5 TD’s …  was named MVP of the Reese’s Senior Bowl after completing eight-of-11 (.727) passes for 115 yards and one TD while rushing for another score in a 34-24 North team victory.

SOPHOMORE (2017): Team captain … Quick Lane Bowl MVP … started all 13 games … completed 257-of-453 (.567) passes for 2,691 yards with 14 TDs while rushing 161 times for 518 yards (3.22) and seven TDs … posted pass efficiency rating of 111.97 … compiled 3,209 total offensive yards … logged a season-high 413 yards of total offense against Northwestern while becoming the second player in Duke history to post 300+ passing and 100+ rushing yards in a single game …in the ACC, ranked third in pass attempts and fourth in pass completions … set Quick Lane Bowl record for pass completions (27) while matching bowl game standard for TD passes (2)

REDSHIRT FRESHMAN (2016): Honorable mention Freshman All-America pick by Campus Insiders … second team Freshman All-ACC pick by Athlon Sports … four-time ACC Rookie of the Week choice following performances against Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Miami … finished third in the balloting for both ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year and ACC Rookie of the Year by the league’s head coaches … started all 12 games … completed 270-of-430 (.638) passes for 2,836 yards with 16 TDs while rushing 141 times for 486 (3.45) yards and seven TDs … posted a pass efficiency rating of 126.28 …

REDSHIRT (2015): Did not see game action.

Senior Bowl Postgame interview after being named the game MVP

On bouncing back from an up-and-down practice week at the Senior Bowl to put up a solid performance on gameday

I just tried to progress through the process, ensure that I could work through some things, work through having some tough breaks here and there, some bumps here and there. But I think everyone went through that with trying to learn a new system, in a new place, with a new team. Hopefully I showed the league that I could learn, keep progressing and play my best on Saturday.

On Jon Gruden’s (North Team coach) comments that he showed resiliency in being able to bounce back from some bad practice week interceptions and on whether he felt that somehow a switch just clicked on for him come game time

I don’t know about that. You know, I think I just learned from them and kept moving forward. I don’t think those interceptions were to me – put me in crisis mode at all. I just kinda kept going, kept learning. You know hopefully each practice, each opportunity I showed progress and showed improvement and played my best on Saturday.

On starting the 2^nd half and leading the team on two scoring drives in a row

I think we caught a rhythm. We had some really good stuff called – some of our play action stuff and nakeds and stuff like that – I got outside the pocket. I think that helped us kinda catch a rhythm and move the ball well. We got a couple big defensive stops that set us up there. You know, through the week some of that stuff had been hitting and some of that stuff had been good. We knew if we called it in the game it was going to work. So I think we had a good plan and had some good stuff.

On the fact that he had a lot of success outside of the pocket and whether that was part of the game plan or was it more just improvising on his part

I think a little bit of both. Like I said, we had a lot of those things in the game plan with boots and nakeds and stuff like that. But a couple of times I did get outside the pocket, a couple of times I held the ball probably a little longer than I should have. You know, it’s all growth, it’s all learning.

On what he feels like he wants to work on most as he moves forward

You know, I think this opportunity is unique in that you can play the game and actually play football. So, it’s a little bit tough going from here, you’re not playing football. You’re back to lifting weights, throwing routes on air – that’s just a little bit different. But, I think I’ll continue to work on mechanically the things I’m working on. And then in the meeting room, on the board continuing to just get more comfortable with some of these new ideas and some of the stuff I learned this week. … Overall, it’s been a really good week. I think I learned a lot, a lot I can take into my training.

On what was the best piece of advice he got from the coaching staff during the week

I think just showing the poise and showing kind of a comfort in the offense is something they wanted to see. You know, at times I’m not sure I did good with that to be honest. Here out in the game, I think I did get comfortable and got into a rhythm. Hopefully that showed them something, and showed them I had the ability to do that, the resiliency to do that. It was a learning process for all of us and I think that exercise in learning a new offense and getting comfortable in a new offense was good practice for me.

On what he thinks he will bring to an NFL franchise off the field

Off the field, hopefully, a leadership in the locker room. I think someone people can count on to be there for them. I think someone who is going to hold teammates accountable and always do my best to be the hardest worker and put in as much time as I need to be prepared. I’ve done those things in the past and I look to do those at the next level.