2. Is Charlie Jones a sleeper wide receiver in the 2023 NFL draft?
First-round draft pick Joey Porter had a near-flawless season in 2022, aside from the time he went up against Charlie Jones. Jones is quick and shifty and the tight hips of Porter were exposed in that specific matchup. Charlie Jones was doing that to a lot of people, though, as he broke out for 1,361 yards.
The big question with Jones is his age and the fact that before he was 23 years old, he never had 400 yards in a season. Did he need to be a few years older and more mature than everyone to look that good? It may be the case, but Jones at least has some excuses.
He started his career at Buffalo and put in 395 yards as a true freshman. He transferred to Iowa and sat out 2019 due to the old rules, and missed 2020 due to COVID. So, he came back in 2021, and while the Iowa offense does not pass, he put up 323 yards and was able to transfer to Purdue.
So, technically, he was ahead of the game since he was a freshman. The two-year delay hurts him, and the Iowa offense stung as well, but he always produced relative to expectations on the field.
Charlie Jones is not the biggest or fastest guy, but he does have the quicks, and his stat and stop is great. Beyond that, he can turn around and find the ball quickly, making him a nice comeback and curl route asset. His stock is rising, but this is still a day-three guy the Baltimore Ravens must consider.