Jarvis Jones anxious to put on pads

By Gerry Dulac / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Today is a big day for many of the Steelers rookies because it is the first time the coaches and players will get a look at them in pads.

And it should be a big moment for Jarvis Jones, their No. 1 draft choice.

All the Steelers - coaches and players alike - are eager to see the outside linebacker from Georgia in pads, something they haven't been able to do since they made him the 17th overall pick in the NFL draft.

"It's like the first day of school," coach Mike Tomlin said. "Checking in here and getting on the grass is one thing, don't get me wrong. But football is a game played in pads and [today] is the first day of school."

And Jones is eager to show his teammates what he is capable of.

"Those are the guys I'm going to be on the field with," Jones said. "First and foremost, I got to build their trust and be with those guys through thick and thin. The coaches call the plays and put you in position to make plays, but your teammates are the ones going to go to war with you. I have to build trust in my teammates and have them know I got their back and they got my back."

Jones reported to camp weighing 248 pounds but said he expects to put on weight in training camp. Still, he might have to add a little bulk to handle left tackles in the NFL.

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Jones hopeful of replacing Harrison at linebacker spot

By Alan Robinson

James Harrison couldn't do it. Neither could LaMarr Woodley nor Lawrence Timmons.

That's the challenge for Jarvis Jones, who is trying to become the first to do what none of Keith Butler's players has done in his 11 seasons as Steelers linebackers coach: start as a rookie in one of the NFL's most demanding and toughest-to-learn defenses.

There is so much to assimilate, recognize, and memorize, so much to remember that it can be overwhelming for a rookie, even one as naturally talented as Jones, the nation's leading pass rusher for Georgia last season.

“But I've learned that never and always are two words you should remember always never to say. So I'm not going to say that,” Butler said Wednesday. “It's something I learned a long time ago: You cannot say never. We'll see how he comes along, and we'll see how Jason (Worilds) plays. What's best for us as a team is what we're going to do.”

What Jones hasn't done in his first week of training camp is play himself out of a job. His natural talent is evident, but, as Butler said, learning Dick LeBeau's defense and how to play in it is not an overnight process.

“That little split second that you take time to think about what you're doing (when you're inexperienced) sometimes gets you beat,” Butler said.

Still, Jones does not look tentative or lost, and he's even shown some bursts of competitive confidence, such as when he said, “I brought it” during the backs-on -backers drill Monday.

But can he start, and now?

“I wouldn't be a competitor if I didn't (want to start),” Jones said.

Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/4447576-74/jones-defense-butler#ixzz2ajasEx1E
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