By NFL outside linebacker standards, Jarvis Jones is a sophomore and James Harrison is a Phi Beta Kappa. So when Jones settles in next to Harrison in the linebackers' meeting room at the Steelers' practice facility – something Jones always makes a point of doing – he does what comes naturally.
He cheats.
"Absolutely," Jones admitted. "You have to. He has four sacks already, more than me."
Harrison was talked out of retirement and re-signed by the Steelers in the wake of Jones suffering a broken wrist on Sept. 21 at Carolina. Ever since then class has been in session as Jones convalesces.
"I see some of the stuff he writes down (in meetings) and I take heed to that," Jones continued. "If he's writing it down then I need to write it down, too. It must be important. I pick up little things from him, the way he takes notes, the way he approaches his work in the building, on the field. Just little things, different techniques he uses, I just pay attention to a lot of it.
"Some of the things, hopefully, I can take from him and put in my package, and it'll make me a better player."
Harrison is preparing for the Jets this week having registered two sacks in back-to-back games. Jones accounted for two sacks prior to his injury and is still working toward being able to put into practice all that Harrison has indirectly been preaching.
Jones, currently on IR-designated-to-return, was eligible to return to practice on Monday, which he did not, and could play as early as the Steelers' game on Nov. 17 at Tennessee, which doesn't seem likely since he just had his cast taken off and the pins removed from his broken wrist on Tuesday and is just beginning physical therapy.
"I really don't know a timetable," Jones said of his eventual return. "I'm expecting at least a couple of more weeks, hopefully sooner rather than later."
In the meantime, Jones has been marveling at how Harrison has shared the right outside linebacker position with fellow veteran Arthur Moats.
"Amazing, man, for somebody in his situation who had retired, for him to come back in and start having the amazing season he's having," Jones said of Harrison. "Just him coming in and producing, helping us out on defense. We're very young in our (linebackers') room other than Lawrence Timmons and Jason Worilds. For (Harrison) to be here, his presence helps us a whole lot.
"'I'm loving every minute of it. He's such a great guy. I'm learning a whole lot from him. I love his approach and the way he plays the game."
Harrison hasn't made mentoring Jones a priority but is happy to lead by example.
"For right now really it's just about trying to get better as a team," Harrison said. "Bringing him along is a good thing. Once he gets his hand together he can start to put things he's seeing to use. But right now it's just more showing him the ropes of what it takes to be a professional."
That includes taking notes in meetings, although Harrison admits he isn't overly devoted to the practice.
"If it's something that I feel is significant, then I'll write it down; otherwise I won't," he said. "I'm not a person who sits there and hangs my hat on every little thing about an offense. For the most part I like to read what I see and react to it."
For Jarvis Jones, that's potentially another lesson learned.
