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Buffalo Bills: Breaking Down Fourth Round Pick Cardale Jones

By Paul Taylor

Oct 24, 2015; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Cardale Jones (12) prior to the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at High Points Solutions Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim O
Oct 24, 2015; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Cardale Jones (12) prior to the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at High Points Solutions Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim O /
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We take an in-depth look at fourth round draft pick Cardale Jones, by analyzing the pros and cons and seeing what the quarterback brings to the Buffalo Bills.

At times, it seems like the Buffalo Bills have been searching forever toto find a worthy successor  Jim Kelly. While Doug Flutie and Drew Bledsoe both had their moments in Western New York, neither proved to be a long-term solution.

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The Bills have tried the draft route as well, with the most infamous example being J.P. Losman. As things stand, Tyrod Taylor holds the keys to the car, but the Bills still want to see more from him.

Throw in the fact that E.J. Manuel (another draft pick) has so far been less than inspiring, and it was hardly a surprise Buffalo decided to select a quarterback this year. Let’s take a look at Cardale Jones and see what he has to offer to the Bills organization.

High school: Led the Glenville High School Tarblooders to the OHSAA D-I Championship game in 2009. Rated as a three-star recruit by rivals.com

College: Ohio State Buckeyes

Career highlights: 2016 Fiesta Bowl champion, 2015 Sugar Bowl champion, 2015 CFP National champion, 2014 Big Ten champion, Big Ten Championship Game MVP

Key stats: 11-0 in his career at Ohio State, the best winning percentage in school history for a quarterback starting 10+ games. This included victories as a starter in the 2015 Sugar Bowl and CFB National Championship game. For his college career, he completed 62 percent of his passes for 2,323 yards, 15 touchdowns and just seven interceptions.

Combine results: Joint-first for vertical jump among quarterbacks, along with Paxton Lynch. 10th in the 40-yard dash, at 4.81 seconds.

Buffalo Bills
Feb 25, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /

Pros: One of the main thing to stand out is his size and toughness. This gives him the ability to absorb the punishment NFL quarterbacks have to contend with. Has a rocket for an arm, which helps on short, intermediate and long throws alike. Also has surprisingly good touch on his passes when needed.

Cons: Question marks surround his accuracy and complete control of an offense. This is best exemplified by being given the starting job last year, but not taking full advantage of the opportunity. Limited experience as a starter. Struggles to read defenses, especially after they make adjustments.

Overall: While Jones is unlikely to contend as a starter right away, he is an intriguing development project for the Bills. Despite concerns about his accuracy, patience and the right system – along with his rifle arm – give you enough reason to be optimistic. Despite the frequent references to his lack of experience, he has at least shown the ability to perform in the big games. Overall, there is no reason to fault this pick, especially coming in the fourth round.

Next: Breaking down Adolphus Washington

What is your initial take on the Bills drafting Cardale Jones in the fourth round? Do you agree with the selection, or is there someone else you would have preferred them to go for? Let us know in the comments section below.

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