Pittsburgh Steelers’ rookie Jarvis Jones thought Browns would draft him
By Matt Shetler
It’s been well documented the type of player the Pittsburgh Steelers believe they got in the first round when they selected Georgia outside linebacker Jarvis Jones with the 17th overall selection in the draft.
But while the Steelers were surprised that Jones fell to them, the rookie linebacker was even more surprised.
May 21, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jarvis Jones (95) participates in organized team activities at the UPMC Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Jones is very happy that he was selected by the Steelers and understands the great situation that he fell into, but all along he thought he would be long off the board when the Steelers selected at No. 17.
In fact, he was pretty confident he would go No. 6 to the Cleveland Browns.
Jones told ESPNCleveland.com that the Browns told him they wanted him, but he believes they passed on him because of concerns about his medical history and a disappointing workout at the Scouting Combine. Jones, however, said he is glad to play for the Steelers.
"“I think I fell to a great organization,” Jones said. “I’m blessed to be there. It’s a great opportunity for me and I’m loving it. There’s nothing like playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers. You can feel the intensity when you walk into that building. Being a part of this defense is going to mean a lot to me. It’s all about winning.”"
In terms of winning, judging by history, Jones has a much better chance to do that in Pittsburgh than in Cleveland.
The only place falling in the draft really hurt Jones was in his checking account, where falling from No. 6 to No. 17 cost him about $7 million.
With the No. 6 pick, the Browns elected to go with LSU pass rusher Barkevious Mingo, as it will be very interesting to see if the Browns ended up making the right choice.