IOWA CITY, Iowa-- Offensive line is a proud tradition at Iowa and that was shown when they were awarded the Joe Moore Award last season, which goes to the nation's top offensive line. Three of those primary contributors are off to the NFL and now it's time to have others step up to replace them.
One of those guys is offensive guard Leighton Jones. The fourth-year junior has been patient since his arrived on campus and has been taking every opportunity when he has been thrown into the game. A steady guard that is poised to step up for Beau Stephens, who is now in the NFL. Jones is locked in at No. 13.
Scouting Report:
Jones is a nasty run-blocker and that's something he took straight from Stephens. Despite being 6-foot-2, he utilizes great foundational base and strength to pile drive his opponents back in zone-schemes. Jones' maturity and approach to the game is something that the offensive line room appreciates about the way he goes about his business.
The 6-foot-2 288-pounder was a multi-sport athlete in high school and has a great knowledge of leverage, pad level and tenacity. He has appeared in 15 games throughout the past couple of years and was given the ultimate compliment from Iowa offensive coordinator Tim Lester.
"I don't think anything is solidified yet, but the way those guys are working, and it's just unbelievable when you have a guy like Leighton Jones. Leighton has had an unbelievable spring. He doesn't even stick out. That's a compliment. You don't even notice him. It's just like Beau is there."
Why He's Indispensable:
There's something about low ego players that prioritize learning and opportunity above anything else. There's no question that the standard for Iowa offensive line play has dramatically increased throughout the past couple of years with all of the outstanding linemen that have come through the program. The Hawkeyes have enough turnover that it would make most schools uncomfortable.
Fortunately for Iowa, they have Jones and a handful of others that have ran with their opportunities and absorbed everything they can from their former teammates who are now in the NFL. Here's what Lester had to say about the younger group this spring.
"Even the new guys have been in the system for two years now, so they're very comfortable with what we're doing. That group has done a great job. I think the key is to get not so much five. It's do we have six, seven, or eight? This is a physical game. It's a physical league."
Expectations:
Jones has been a strong contender for the past couple of years but has been forced to wait because of the NFL talent. There's zero reason to doubt that Jones will be able to step up to the plate and deliver high quality performances on a weekly basis. He's a type of player that doesn't ride the highs or get too low. Everything with him is extremely steady. He isn't the most physically imposing offensive guard in the Big Ten, but there's a lot of athleticism and discipline mixed in with his game. The Indiana native is the hybrid of an offensive lineman that Barnett loves to work with.
It's an extremely high praise to be compared to Stephens with everything that he was able to achieve. Stephens was also one of the most violent run-blockers in the country at the tail end of his career. Jones might not be the size of Stephens, but if he was able to go into the game and make it seem like nothing has been changed-- he's in good shape.
There's no question that Kade Pieper and Trevor Lauck are going to be the two key cogs behind Iowa's offensive line. Don't be surprised if Jones is right behind them.
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