It was impossible not to notice Chandler Jones in his preseason debut for the New England Patriots.
The rookie defensive end was less a newbie and more a swarm of arms and legs flying toward New Orleans Saints quarterbacks. It's early, but Bill Belichick appears to have found a pass-rushing specialist to anchor his defensive line.
Teammates have noticed, handing out a nickname they believe suits Jones well: "That's our closer," linebacker Jerod Mayotold Comcast SportsNet New England.
Comcast's Tom E. Curran has watched Jones develop in camp and believes he's "way farther along" than the Patriots expected. Jones will likely slide into Andre Carter's "elephant" role from last season and contribute to a defense that has played with more enthusiasm than last year's crew.
There's a hazard in becoming too enamored based off preseason reports. August's stars settle down or evaporate when September comes, but the excitement around Jones is based on his ability to heat-seek the passer, an innate talent most players either have or they don't.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
