Washington CB Sidney Jones is remaining optimistic despite suffering a torn Achilles at his pro day earlier this month, and he has reason to be keeping his hopes high, according to his doctor.
Jones announced via Twitter on Tuesday that he underwent surgery to repair the Achilles and that his doctor told him he will be playing in 2017. The surgery was performed by foot/ankle specialist Dr. Robert Anderson, per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, and Jones is due to begin running again in four months, according to ESPN.
Prior to the injury, Jones was widely projected as a first-round pick and rated as the top CB in the draft by NFL Network draft expert Mike Mayock. However, one scout estimated the injury could lead to a slide of as many as two rounds for Jones, and Jones fell out of Mayock's CB rankings in a new version that was posted on Tuesday.
While optimism should serve Jones well in his recovery, NFL teams will be weighing how much of an effect the injury will have on his game once he returns to the field as they consider where to slot him on their draft board. For now, the good news is it's not out of the realm of possibility that we'll see him suit up in 2017.
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