Jones said the work he put in during the offseason paid off on Day 1 of training camp.
New England Patriots rookie defensive end Chandler Jones (95) stretches during practice on the first day of training camp at the NFL football team's facility in Foxborough, Mass., Thursday, July 26, 2012.FOXBOROUGH – The Patriots’ offseason program is already paying dividends for the team’s rookies.
After wrapping up their first training camp practice, first-round pick defensive end Chandler Jones reported that he already felt up to speed with everything that was going on and never once felt overwhelmed.
“It felt great,” Jones said. “I feel like I’m still dreaming, but I’m taking it one day at a time.”
Jones spent his first day severing on the second-team defense, rotating in for Rob Ninkovich and Trevor Scott at defensive end.
He received guidance from several of the veteran players on both sides of the ball during the session, something that has been ongoing since he was drafted, and has helped accelerate his learning curve.
“We have a nice brother system from Tom Brady to Vince Wilfork,” Jones said. “The whole team, they do a good job of putting their wing around the rookies and new guys and get us moving forward.”
Jones said the biggest adjustment for him coming out of Syracuse is the difference in time management, and that he has a lot more free time now that he doesn’t have to attend classes.
To maximize on that, he went back to Syracuse and trained with his old strength and conditioning coaches to prepare for training camp.
“Whenever I was in school, when I got out of practice, I did homework or played video games,” Jones said. “But guys are going home to their families and guys are getting into their playbooks. This is our job. This is how we’re going to support our families and eat food. It’s just a whole different approach.”
Jones’ biggest goal now is to attempt to impress the veteran players he’s been leaning on with his work ethic.
“My job right now is to earn respect from the veterans and be a sponge, learn the playbook, earn respect from Vince Wilfork and the rest of the guys and keep moving forward,” he said.