Sai’vion Jones will add another unique dimension to the Broncos’ defense in 2025

Rookie defensive lineman Sai’vion Jones will be a welcomed addition to the Denver Broncos defensive line for the 2025 season.

Securing a prospect with future starting potential was a must for the Denver Broncos during the 2025 NFL Draft.

Their core four up front with D.J. Jones, John Franklin Myers, Malcolm Roach, and Zach Allen performed tremendously last season. Their play up front was a big reason the team embarked on a significant turnaround defensively in 2024. However, the last three mentioned are all in contract years. That’s why finding a developmental prospect to add into the mix was mission critical for the franchise.

Thankfully, the Broncos were able to address a long-term need this past April moving up to select Louisiana State University defensive lineman Sai’vion Jones at the end of the third round. Jamar Cain, the franchise’s defensive line coach, spent time with Jones during a short coaching stint down in the Bayou. Without question, he certainly had inside knowledge to offer on him throughout the draft process and had to be one of his biggest advocates inside the team’s draft war room.

The Broncos had six defensive linemen on their initial 53-man roster in 2024—the aforementioned—as well as Eyioma Uwazurike and Jordan Jackson. One of those guys will be the odd man out next season with Jones primed to earn one of those spots. Let’s take a deeper look at Jones and what we should reasonably expect from him during his rookie season in the Mile High City.

Player Profile

Age: 21 | Experience: Rookie | College: LSU | Height: 6’5” | Weight: 283 pounds

Arm Length: 33-1/2” | Hand Size: 10” | Bench Press: 19 reps | Broad Jump: 9’-11”

Vertical Jump: 33 inches | 10-Yard Split: 1.59 seconds | 40-yard dash: 4.75 seconds

Sai’vion Jones’ 2025 outlook with the Broncos

I’ll preface this section by stating that we shouldn’t have sky-high expectations for Jones during his rookie campaign. The length-to-impact for defensive lineman coming out of college to the pros is usually pretty steep. Unless you’re a Top 64 selection drafted by a team in desperate need of immediate snap counts in the trenches, getting significant snaps early on rarely happens for these prospects.

A reasonable scenario for Jones’ initial gridiron campaign would be earning roughly 25-percent of the team’s defensive snaps throughout the course of the season. That would roughly be around Jackson’s snap share from last year. It might not seem like a lot, but it’s a pretty common threshold for a back-up defensive lineman.

In his collegiate career, Jones moved all over the Tigers’ defensive front. He has experience standing up as a rusher and with his hand in the dirt. With the Broncos, I expect him to be a down lineman that gets reps at end, but also a player that kicks inside for sub-packages in Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph’s scheme.

A two-year starter for the Tigers, Jones’ productivity as a pass rusher skyrocketed in his senior campaign. He was credited with 43 quarterback pressures and five sacks. A lot of those came when he was going up against interior players as opposed to tackles. He will have a tougher go of it in the pros, but his versatility and skillset should help add a unique dynamic to the Broncos’ defensive front in ‘25.

Final Thoughts

Jones is a virtual lock for the final 53-man roster barring an injury in the camp or preseason. That will leave Uwazurike and Jackson battling it out for the team’s sixth and final spot on the defensive line. I’m optimistic he can help in the capacity outlined above as a rookie. Hitting that 25-percent snap threshold would be a good outcome and help him get the experience necessary to fight for a starting job in 2026.

An added bonus is the potential to alleviate Allen’s enormous snap count burden. He played awesome last year, though playing 85-percent of the team’s defensive snaps is likely not sustainable or ideal. Jones being able to spell him on occasion and help keep him fresh would also be a big boost for the Broncos’ defense.

Overall, Jones has top-notch athleticism and the physical traits you can’t teach. However, there is certainly room for improvement relative to technique and adding more strength and weight to his frame. Though that’s commonplace for virtually every rookie entering the league playing in the trenches.

A few years down the road, if he can become the sum of all his parts, the Broncos very well may have gotten themselves another late Day 2 draft steal. But for now, if he can come in and do the aforementioned, I’d consider that a successful rookie campaign. If he outperforms those—even better!