Jones has potential as fast pass rusher

STILLWATER — Oklahoma State defensive line coach Glenn Spencer wasn't around last season when Richetti Jones redshirted, a year removed from a major high school hip injury.

So when Spencer uses terms like "fast” and "elusive” to describe Jones, it's a sign Jones might still fulfill expectations after being touted one of the nation's best pass rushers in the 2007 recruiting class.

"He's got some natural pass-rush skills,” Spencer said. "He's very fast, very elusive. The biggest part now is he has to get used to the physical grind of the Big 12.”

OSU coach Mike Gundy has been guarded in forecasting Jones' role for the upcoming season.

"He is healthy, but he had a very serious injury,” Gundy said. "I don't know if he'll ever be what he was. I hope he is. Most guys who have that type of injury, and have gone through rehabilitation he has, can come back.

"Whether they can withstand fatigue over a period of time is not 100 percent (guaranteed). But everybody is different. He's been going full speed in every drill.”

Midway through his senior year at Dallas Lincoln, Jones suffered a dislocated hip during a routine drill in practice. He was sidelined for the season. Jones, 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, hoped to play as a true freshman, but OSU coaches took the cautious route and redshirted him.

Jones was still a little hobbled during two-a-days last August, but teammates raved about him in October when he wreaked havoc as part of the scout team.

Since only two of OSU's first nine practices have been open, fans have seen only glimpses of Jones this spring. He made a couple of plays in a scaled-down scrimmage two weeks ago. In Friday's first major scrimmage, Jones once again showed quickness.

Jones recorded 57 sacks at Dallas Lincoln. Heading into his senior year, Rivals rated Jones the nation's No. 49 overall prospect, regardless of position.

"I'm hoping he picks up where he left off in high school,” Gundy said. "I do know that when you have an injury like that you don't know how it's going to pan out.”

Rivals national recruiting analyst Mike Farrell said some feared the hip injury might be career-ending. After hearing reports of Jones' progress this spring, Farrell said Jones could have a major impact as a redshirt freshman.

"His upside is tremendous, but how will the injury affect him?” Farrell said. "A hip injury for a defensive lineman can be like a shoulder injury for an offensive lineman. But if he recovers fully, based on what we saw in high school, he could be a beast.”

OSU's defense could use a pass-rushing beast or two. The secondary often was lambasted for abysmal pass defense statistics last season. But part of the problem was OSU lacked a quality pass rush.

The Cowboys recorded only 11 sacks in 13 games.

Will Jones have an immediate impact? Eighteen months after suffering the injury, reports are encouraging.