10 Fringe Prospects Who Boosted Their Value at the NFL Combine

Aaron Jones, RB, UTEP

Profile: 5’9”, 208 lbs., 32-1/2” arms, 9-1/2” hands

Running backs don’t have to be massive to bruisers to make a difference in the NFL, and Aaron Jones of the Texas-El Paso Miners might be poised to continue a tradition of small, shifty backfield bangers.

Jones was the leading rusher for UTEP this year, parlaying his 229 attempts into 1,773 yards (7.74 yards per carry) and 17 touchdowns. Among the rushers with at least 200 carries, Jones had the highest per-carry rate and was fourth in total rushing yardage. The one knock on his stats is he’s a one-dimensional back; he averaged just over two receptions per game in college.

Still, when one is as dazzlingly agile and explosive as Jones, those are good dimensions to have. He posted a just-okay 4.56 40-yard dash, but lit up the short shuttle (4.20; position best), three-cone (6.82; best), vertical (37.5-inch; best), and broad jump (10’7”; best). With this performance, despite his size and his school’s lower profile, Jones has a legitimate draft chance this year.

Among Jones’ comps by Sim Score are Tre Mason (94.57%), Ronnie Hillman (94.36%), and Cierre Wood (94.35%).