Your AFC DPOTM for October is a 5-8, 188-lb Slot Corner the Patriots are Building Their Future Around

The part of Marcus Jones' football journey that took him from the U. of Houston to New England began as it should: With the wholesome American icon every late-Boomer female in America dreamed of marrying and living on a Utah ranch with announcing his selection. As I said at the time:

[W]ith their third pick, the Patriots are going by the by the conventional wisdom that is the Big Board. Taking a guy at No. 85 who seemed to be a No. 85-caliber projection. Literally 89th on the Mock Draft Database Big Board. Now, as in all other aspects of our lives, Donny Osmond didn't steer us wrong.

Cornerback is an obvious area of need. As is kick/punt returner, because it always is. Whether or not Marcus Jones is the former right now, he can most definitely be the latter from Week 1 of his rookie year.

That last part is something he proved when he hit a walk off punt return home run to beat the Jets in 2022:

He missed all but two game the next year, but since then he's progressed to the point he's been the slot corner for two different defensive schemes, the one run by Jerod Mayo and the one now run by Mike Vrabel. Who not only gave him the coveted second contract halfway through the first season of working with him:

… Vrabel also made it clear this is the kind of guy you want building the culture of your team, saying this about his team Captain:

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And I'll pause here to raise my hand and admit I've been frustrated at times, watching the secondary rotation leave Jones against some 6-foot wideout (Garrett Wilson last year) or massive tight end (Brock Bowers in Week 1), and see him mirror the receiver perfectly, stay on his hip, only to give up a completion he couldn't possibly defend. 

But all Jones has done otherwise is what the truly good ones do. The ones you build around. He has figured it out. To the point he was the best defensive player in the conference over the month of October:

A week after jump-starting the current winning streak with two huge punt returns, one for a touchdown against Carolina, Jones turned the game at Buffalo around by picking off Josh Allen in the red zone:

And breaking up a pass in coverage on 6-foot-4, 215-pounds of Keon Coleman:

I had this to say in the Knee Jerk Reactions:

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So on a team that at one point had about 15 guys named Jones on the roster, the Last Jones Standing is becoming a folk hero before our eyes. The overachiever who can do multiple things, comes up big in clutch situations, and always seems to be making crucial plays when you need them most. I'm telling you right now, Jones is the one your girlfriend is falling in love with. He's filling that hole in her heart that's been there since James White retired. That undersized guy who's not too small to put an entire locker room on his back. She loves her dog, lattes, sweatshirt weather, RomComs, Marcus Jones, and in all probability, you. How you rank in those standings depends on how quick you get on board Jones' bandwagon.

And now the rest of the NFL has recognized what your fictional Babygirl knew a while ago. Marcus Jones has become a crucial part of Vrabel's roster build. Now we find out the man knows how to pick out a Halloween costume with the best of them.

Sonic is not just the perfect costume for this guy, it's the perfect metaphor. I fricking love this team.