Former Alabama All American center Barrett Jones is now with Eagles and practicing at the guard position. Photo by Andy Lewis / contrastphotography.com

Saying the NFL is a tough league and a brutal place to make a living is putting it lightly.

Winning is all that matters at this level. Most coaches will play anyone from almost any background if it helps the team win.

A player’s resume may get him in the door, but to land a steady job in the NFL you have produce. Having said that, a player in the NFL usually needs the right coach in the right system to develop.

Former Alabama All American offensive lineman Barrett Jones, now with the Eagles, may be the most decorated player in college football history:

According to his Wikipedia page Jones helped the Crimson Tide win three BCS National titles (2010, 2012, 2013), all as a starter. He won the Wuerffel Trophy (2011), the Outland Trophy (2011), the Jacobs Blocking Trophy (2011), the Jim Parker Trophy (2011), first-team All-SEC (2011, 2012), consensus All-American (2011, 2012), NCAA Division I Football Academic All-America Team Member of the Year (2012), the William V. Campbell Trophy (2012), the Rimington Trophy (2012) and not to be left out, the NCAA Division I Academic All-America Team Member of the Year (2013).

Even with that remarkable resume, Jones wasn’t drafted until the St. Louis Rams took him in the fourth round (113th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft.

Jones played in just 10 games over his first two seasons and was dropped before the start of the 2015 season. He was picked up by the Pittsburgh Steelers for about eight weeks before moving on to the practice squad of the Chicago Bears.

On November 30, with questions about the Eagles offensive line continuing to build, especially with the running game, Chip Kelly decided to grab Jones off the Bears practice squad to see if he can help.

This move reunites Jones with his Alabama offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland who joined the Eagles as part of Kelly’s original staff in 2013.

“I am really looking forward to working with coach Stoutland again,” Jones said at his locker last week. “I really believe in what they are doing here. I’m just trying to come in and be part of it.”
Jones was asked if this was the best turn he has had in, what is now his third year in the NFL.

“Being drafted was a positive turn,” Jones said. “Probably since then this has been a good turn. It’s good to be here working, trying to learn the offense. I think it’s a little like trying to drink like a fire hydrant right now. You’re going to get a few sips but there’s a lot coming at you.”

Jones earned a degree in accounting, graduating summa cum laude in August 2011 with a 4.0 grade point average. He graduated in December 2012 with his masters again maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

Obviously very bright, Jones talked about the challenges learning Chip Kelly’s offense.

“The offense, and coach Kelly would say this too, it’s simple at its core,” Jones said. “You just have to figure out exactly how to do it. The biggest thing is the tempo. You just have to figure out how to play at lightning speed or whatever they call it.”

Jones was asked if changing tempo of the game the way the Eagles offense mandates requires a change in breathing during a game and practice.

“Definitely,” Jones said. “I pride myself as a guy who is in pretty good shape. I don’t have any problems with it. It’s just different out there at practice…as soon as the play is over you have to train yourself to look at the sideline to get the next play. It’s just something that if you’re not used to it…it’s new.
“After a play I’m used to diagnosing it for four or five seconds, think what did I do wrong, what happened? (Here) you don’t have time for that. You immediately have to look at the sidelines, forget the last play and move on to the next one.”

Stoutland came to the Eagles after Jones’ senior season was over. It is only natural to think Jones might be on the Eagles radar that year when draft day rolled around.
Did Jones feel the same vibe?

“I thought about it, definitely” Jones recalled. “I wasn’t expecting it. I go to the method of control the things you can control and don’t worry about the rest. That’s what I was mostly thinking about during the draft.”

Jones does not fit the mold of the Eagles current interior linemen. Allen Barbre, Jason Kelce and Matt Tobin a more long and athletic. Tobin and Kelce are both under 300 pounds.
Jones looks more like Dallas bruisers Travis Frederick or Zack Martin.

While a guest on the Footballstories radio show, Jones revealed he is practicing him at the guard spot.

Does he know what the Eagles intentions for him are?

“That’s a good question,” Jones said. “I’m still trying to figure all that out. But right now I am coming in here, working as hard as I can and not really worrying too much about the big picture. If you get caught up worrying about that stuff, you’re focusing on the wrong thing. I just think it’s important to focus on the things you can control.”