Cornerback Elijah Jones was selected in the third round of this year’s draft by the Arizona Cardinals. Coming out of the northeast, growing up in Harlem, New York then playing collegiately at Boston College, experiencing an Arizona summer for the first time has been a bit of a culture shock.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!“Oh, it’s hot,” said Jones. “That’s probably the biggest thing.”
In his first year in the NFL, the Cardinals rookie class has been participating in community service events. On June 13, all 14 rookies visited the United Food Bank in Mesa and helped pack food bags at their warehouse.
“It was very real for us to be able to come out here and be able to experience the city,” said Jones. “It’s starting to feel less like a tourist and more like a resident. Just being able to come out here and be able to give back in multiple different ways. It does not always have to be sports related, sometimes just being able to go and actually impact the community.”
Jones, like other 13 rookies on the Cardinals roster, is adjusting from college to the pros. In his first season in the NFL, Jones joins a cornerback room that includes key free agent pickup Sean Murphy-Bunting, second-year starter Kei’Trel Clark, and fellow rookie Max Melton, who was drafted a round ahead of him.
“It’s been fun. Just being able to learn from people I’ve been seeing on TV and being able to actually see faces without the helmet on. Some people I play with, like I’m an ultimate teamer in Madden. You know, like I had Trey. Making plays, being out there, and being able to understand I belong as well is also a good thing. So it’s been a good transition.”
"It's been fun. Just being able to learn from people who I've been seeing on TV."
Cardinals rookie CB Elijah Jones talks about his adjustment from college to the NFL.#AZCardinals #NFL #BirdGang pic.twitter.com/v4FKu68o1v
— Burn City Sports (@BurnCitySports) June 14, 2024
Jones has the prototypical size and speed to play on the boundary, measuring in at 6’1 1/2″ with 31 1/4″ arms and a 4.44 second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. He was a first team All-ACC selection in 2023 and has over 40 games of starting experience with Boston College. He’s older than your typical rookie, spending six years in college due to the extra year of eligibility thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. His experience, along with his unique size and skill set in that cornerback room, could have him competing for a starting role in his first training camp with the Cardinals.
Over the past month, he’s gone through rookie minicamp and OTAs. He’ll experience his first ever NFL training camp in a little more than six weeks. It will serve as another opportunity for him to adjust to the speed and intensity of the NFL game, especially once the pads come on.
“You got to be on your P’s and Q’s on every play,” said Jones. “Everyone’s in the pros, everyone deserves to be there, so you got to be on your best game.”
Cardinals rookies help give back to the Arizona community with United Food Bank
*Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information, exclusive content, and access to our seasonal magazines! SIGN UP HERE to unlock our premium content!*
Michael McDermott covers the Arizona Diamondbacks and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @MichaelMcDMLB
