The Patriots lost top cornerback J.C. Jackson in free agency this offseason, and one of the biggest questions facing the club ever since has been how it will replace the 2021 Pro Bowler. Earlier this month, we learned that Malcolm Butler had emerged as the favorite to fill that void, but as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes, fourth-round rookie Jack Jones is already making a strong case of his own.

Reiss observes that Jones lined up across from Jalen Mills — a 16-game starter in 2021 — during one mandatory minicamp practice. Jones was able to maintain tight coverage against some of New England’s top wideouts, and he also flashed his instincts in intercepting rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe.

His coverage ability and ballhawking traits were on display throughout Jones’ tumultuous collegiate career. A five-star recruit, Jones committed to USC and started all 14 of the Trojans’ games during his sophomore season in 2017, intercepting a team-high four passes. However, he was ruled academically ineligible for the 2018 season, and in June 2018, he was arrested for breaking into a restaurant after hours (he resolved that matter by pleading guilty to a second-degree misdemeanor charge of commercial burglary).

USC dismissed him from the program, and after a year at Moorpark College, he enrolled at Arizona State. Under the tutelage of former NFL defensive back and head coach Herm Edwards, Jones intercepted three more passes in 2019, but he once again hit a roadblock in 2020, when he was suspended for violating team rules and appeared in just one game. He put himself back on the NFL radar in 2021, playing 11 games and picking off three passes.

As one might expect in light of that history, Jones is a little older than most rookies, as he will turn 25 in December. And while it can be fairly argued that his off-field issues led to his falling to the fourth round, he was not a perfect prospect even from an on-field perspective, despite his obvious ball skills. He lacks ideal size for an outside-the-numbers corner (5-10, 177), displayed inconsistent technique in college, and can struggle when attempting to press opposing receivers.

Still, the Patriots and HC Bill Belichick have never been afraid to blaze their own trail in the draft. Jones’ instincts and route recognition offer a strong foundation to build upon, and he has an opportunity that many fourth-rounders do not have. Although Mills appears to have one starting CB spot locked up, he is not exactly irreplaceable, and the same can be said of veteran Terrance Mitchell, who signed a one-year, $3MM deal with New England in March after being released by the Texans.

Butler has a permanent place in Patriots lore for his heroics in Super Bowl XLIX, but he did not play at all in 2021, as he went into a pseudo-retirement. He is also 32, and while he signed a two-year contract to return to Foxborough, the Pats can easily release him (and Mills) after the 2022 season with minimal dead cap ramifications.

So if Jones can continue to progress after his strong showing in spring practices, he could soon find himself in the starting lineup, even if Belichick opts to err on the side of veteran experience when the regular seasons opens.