Senior cornerback Byron Jones came into the season as one of the few established bright spots on a Huskies team in transition. But on Thursday night in Greenville, NC, Jones played his last game in UConn's 31-21 loss to ECU. The team captain reaggravated a shoulder injury that will end his college playing days, though his NFL future remains bright.
Byron was playing through a small issue there,” coach Bob Diaco said. “That, then exacerbated himself (on Thursday) to the point that it needs to be addressed. If it doesn’t get addressed it will be something else. Right now, an isolated thing that needs to be fixed.”
As for Jones' professional future, Diaco added this: “He’s very highly thought of. Executives that are in the building think highly of him. This will help him from a time frame standpoint. He will be full speed, not good as new, better than new when he has a time to show his wears.”
Here's how Diaco described Jones this summer.
"I think he will be one of the best players in the country,” he said. “Everyone will see it eventually when they put him in those compression shorts (at combines). You will see a tall, long, lean and fast and explosive and athletic player. His numbers, with our developmental process, you are going to see at the end of the day one of the best tangibly gifted cornerback players in the country.
"Then you factor in this incredible resume socially, academically, he’s an ‘A’ student and on all the committees. At that position, he has some intangible traits that are an incredible commodity.”
