It might not have counted for six points, but it definitely counted for NFL scouts.
East Carolina wide receiver Zay Jones made a spectacular catch in the back of the end zone during the first quarter of the Reese's Senior Bowl on Saturday, leaping high for a would-be touchdown on a high throw from quarterback Nathan Peterman. With the game officiated under NFL rules, Jones was required to get two feet in bounds rather than the one foot required in college. The ruling on the field was that Jones failed to get his second foot in bounds on the play. With no video review in an all-star game, that's how call stood, although the call was more than close enough to merit one.
In the second quarter, Jones was denied another outstanding touchdown catch due to a holding call on an offensive lineman.
One his grabs caught the eye of Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice.
"You talk to the (Senior Bowl) coaches that have been around him this week, they say it's like dealing with a 10-year professional," said NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah during the broadcast of the game. "When your dad is Robert Jones, who played in the NFL for a long time, it's the family business."
NFL Network draft expert Mike Mayock said Jones was the MVP of the first half.
"(Jones) had an unbelievable half. All he did was confirm what he did all week long," Mayock said. "He's a top-100 pick in this draft."
Scouts are more interested in seeing physical traits and skills regardless of an official's call, particularly in an all-star game setting. As such, Jones' catches Saturday figure to benefit his draft evaluation, even if they didn't impact the scoreboard.
Jones caught an NCAA-high 158 passes at East Carolina in 2016 (13.2 per game), for 1,746 yards and eight touchdowns.
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