Five-star athlete Jack Jones announced his decision National Signing Day afternoon, with USC finishing ahead of Alabama and Texas A&M. He made his choice alongside rapper Snoop Dogg, a Los Angeles youth football kingpin (and lifelong USC fan who spent last Signing Day happily watching his son commit to UCLA):
5-star ATH Jack Jones commits to USC via Snoop Dogg interview
Jones is rated as the 22nd-best player in the country.
Student Sports
Coach Snoop got the exclusive ! @snoopleague alum n @LBPoly_Football 5-star recruit @presidentjacc announcement !!https://t.co/QaMtKEDgYf
— Snoop Dogg (@SnoopDogg) February 3, 2016
Jones, from Long Beach Poly (Calif.), is ranked as the third-best cornerback in the country, the fourth-best player in California and the 22nd-best player overall, according to the 247Sports Composite ratings. He’s listed as a cornerback, but at 5’11, 164 pounds, with a 4.28-second 40-yard dash, he’s a speedster who has the ability to play cornerback and wide receiver, plus be a return man.
It seemed like Jones would stay home and play for USC. The Trojans had a top-20 recruiting class heading into National Signing Day under new head coach Clay Helton, adding four other commits on the day.
As SB Nation recruiting analyst Bud Elliott has said, USC desperately needs defensive backs now that its recruiting is getting back to normal, following NCAA sanctions, and Jones would join a solid secondary that includes star cornerback Adoree Jackson. He may not start right away, but he has the potential to be a good player.
If Jones went with Alabama or Texas A&M, it would’ve been a major coup. The Tide don’t need urgent defensive help any time soon, but the Aggies could’ve found early work for Jones in John Chavis’ improved defense.
Check out Jones’ highlights:
