The Denver Broncos selected LSU defensive end Sai'vion Jones at No. 101 overall in the third round of the NFL draft. Denver obviously coveted Jones, trading picks No. 111, 130, and 191 to the Philadelphia Eagles to move up and get him and a fourth-round pick.
That trade-up nearly emptied the Broncos' war chest of draft picks, with the exception of pick 134 (via Philadelphia) in the fourth round and pick 197 in the sixth. So what is it about Jones that the Broncos coveted?
At 6-foot-5 and 280 pounds, Jones is a bit of a tweener, similar to former Broncos 2019 third-round pick Dre'Mont Jones, although they're very different players. Sai'vion can line up inside with his hand in the dirt and rush from the edge.
As a two-year starter for the Tigers, Jones is coming off a 2024 campaign where he amassed 40 tackles, eight tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two passes defensed. He turned some kind of a corner as a pass rusher in his final season at LSU.
Jones had 38 QB pressures combined over his first three seasons at LSU. He eclipsed that number with 40 pressures in 2024 alone.
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein dished on the traits and tools Jones brings to the table.
"A 4-3 defensive end who fits the NFL mold with size, toughness and effort. Jones has good bend and a couple of reliable moves to unlock the top of the rush. He rarely works beyond pocket depth and has an instinctive secondary rush to cook in the pocket," Zierlein wrote. "His hands are twitchy and violent but he allows blockers into his frame a little too often. Maximum energy is exerted on every rep but he might need to improve pacing to become more consistent against the run. Jones’ translatable traits and rush talent make him an ascending prospect who could see early third-down reps before taking on a starting spot in the future."
As a rookie just entering the NFL, Jones has plenty of room for growth, but with three players on the defensive line entering a contract year, the Broncos had to bring in some new blood to preempt the potential personnel losses. Zach Allen, John Franklin-Myers, and Malcolm Roach are each in their final year.
Allen is expected to be extended, but until he is, the Broncos need contingencies in place in the event that negotiations fall through or an injury strikes. Jones gives Denver that backup plan, while also adding a bonafide talent, who, albeit, needs some NFL refinement to realize his potential.
Jones will turn 22 in July, so the Broncos are getting him at the opportune time age-wise. Welcome to Denver, Sai'vion Jones.
After two trade-downs and one trade-up, here's an updated look at the Broncos' draft haul entering Day 3.
- Round 1: Jahdae Barron | CB | Texas
- Round 2: RJ Harvey | RB | UCF
- Round 3: Pat Bryant | WR | Illinois
- Round 3: Sai’vion Jones | DL/Edge | LSU
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