2. Zay Jones
Coming out of Eastern Carolina in 2017, Zay Jones was recognized as a potential first-round pick and a future top-option for whoever drafts him. It turns out; he fell to the second, where the Bills selected him at No. 37 overall. A formed consensus around the pick was that the team secured their future at the position, but Jones hasn’t quite shown that.
In two years of play, Jones has recorded 83 receptions for 968 yards and seven touchdowns. He may be more famous for getting up after a play in a levitating fashion than his performance on-field. But, there is a fair share of hope, underlined by a solid outing in 2018. In his second season as a pro, Jones led the Bills in receiving yards and touchdowns with 652 and seven, respectively.
Jones is the obvious choice to be the No. 1 receiver, and it’s not just because of the considerable asset used to get him. He comes with a pro-ready frame at 6-foot-2 and 200-pounds and has focused his off-season to adding bulk to it. His game, after playing on a spread offense in college, has shown constant improvement in areas of need including sped up footwork, physicality, and vertical route-stems.
However, Jones needs to continue to show that development. His release-beating moves are still a concern, and it shows in that he does best against nickel-backs rather than outside cornerbacks. Nonetheless, there is potential there; receivers rarely make a massive impact in their two years — he didn’t primarily due to injuries — but they are expected to by year three. Hopefully, his first ever healthy off-season and solid 2018 outing can convert to more production.