James Jones compares Rams' Donald to 49ers legend Young

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LOS ANGELES — Bay Area native James Jones is thrilled for Bryant Young’s Pro Football Hall of Fame induction. 

The retired NFL wide receiver, who is now an analyst for NFL Network, grew up watching the 49ers’ interior defensive lineman. Jones spoke to NBC Sports Bay Area earlier this month at Radio Row during Super Bowl week, recalling how Young changed the game, similar to Los Angeles Rams superstar lineman Aaron Donald.  

"People don’t understand, it was B. Young before Aaron Donald,” Jones said. “Bryant Young was dominant at his position. He was an interior lineman where he was triple-teamed and double-teamed. Every player - he would have wrecked your game.”  

Bryant’s entire 14-year career was spent with the 49ers. The lineman was voted to the Pro-Bowl four times and received First-Team All-Pro honors in 1996. The Hall of Famer recorded 92.5 career sacks, 94 tackles for a loss and three safeties. 

Jones believes that Young paved the way for dominant interior linemen such as Donald. The Rams eight-time Pro-Bowler and seven-time First-Team All-Pro has spent his eight-year career amassing 104 career sacks and 160 tackles for a loss. Both well-decorated linemen changed the game in their own right. 

Jones’ feelings for his hometown team shifted slightly as his own professional career progressed. The physical receiver did not enjoy playoff losses to the 49ers while he was a member of the Green Bay Packers but Young is still a player who he idolized in his youth. 

“I grew up in the Bay Area in San Jose,” Jones said. "I grew up a die-hard Niner fan. Obviously, the battles that we had with them kicking our butts in the playoffs a couple of times and kicking us out, I kind of got a competitive hatred for them. But I grew up on B. Young, Jerry [Rice], John Taylor and all those guys.” 

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49ers Faithful can all understand why Jones still has a place in his heart for the player and team of his youth. 

“Well deserved for B. Young,” Jones said. “Hell of a player.”

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