During his senior season at the University of Houston, cornerback Marcus Jones was viewed by many as the best punt returner in the country. Jones earned Firstu2010Team Allu2010American Athletic Conference honors as a return specialist, while his four return touchdowns led the NCAA in 2021.
Jones’ work in the return game was a key part of him taking home the prestigious Paul Hornung Award during his senior season, which is given to the nation’s most versatile player.
When the Patriots selected Jones in the third-round of the 2022 NFL Draft, he seemed like an obvious fit for the punt returner job which was left vacant due to Gunner Olszewski’s departure.