A versatile UCLA offensive lineman who has spent his Cardinals career working his way back from a rookie-year injury to become a reliable interior depth piece.
Jon Gaines II is a guard for the Arizona Cardinals, drafted for his combine athleticism and multi-position versatility along the offensive line. After losing his rookie season to injury, he has steadily built a role in Arizona's trenches.
Path to the league
Gaines played five seasons at UCLA, starting at multiple offensive line spots including left guard, right guard, center and right tackle. As a senior he started all 13 games at right guard and earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors. The Cardinals selected him with the No. 122 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Gaines turned in standout numbers for an interior lineman, ranking first among his position group in vertical jump (32.5 inches), broad jump (7-foot-6), three-cone drill (7.31 seconds) and 20-yard shuttle (4.45 seconds), and running a 5.01-second 40-yard dash.
2025 season recap
After missing his entire rookie season in 2023 on injured reserve with a knee injury, Gaines has appeared in 30 games with five starts across the 2024 and 2025 seasons, developing into a dependable interior line reserve for Arizona.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Jon Gaines II
- ESPN: Jon Gaines II
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Guard
- Group
- offense
- College
- UCLA
- Hometown
- Wauwatosa, WI, USA
- Age
- 27
- Status
- active
