West Virginia legacy is hopeful for a Clemson offer
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Clemson has two receivers committed to the 2021 football recruiting class with the hopes of possibly adding two others. Dacari Collins and Beaux Collins (no relation) are committed from Georgia and California, respectively, but currently, no in-state receivers have an offer for the class.
Weeks ago, we highlighted Dillon junior Ahmari Huggins-Bruce, who is in contact with the Tigers coaching staff, and this week, we reached out to Myrtle Beach wideout JJ Jones.
Jones, like Huggins-Bruce, is also in contact with the Clemson staff.
"I've been in touch with Clemson for about a month now,” Jones stated. "I just texted Coach [Tyler] Grisham Tuesday morning. We stay in constant contact and talk about how I can get up to campus and try to build a relationship.”
Jones will have the opportunity to build on that relationship face-to-face with Grisham on March 7, Clemson’s second Junior Day.
Even if he doesn’t get an offer on the visit, he understands how Clemson handles the recruiting process and won’t hang his head.
"They really like my film and are real interested in me. They are one of the top programs in the country, so they're not going to give out an offer to just anybody. I will continue to work hard and see if I can earn an offer,” he said.
His upcoming visit to the campus will be his second unofficial visit because he once visited as a sophomore at Socastee High, the same school of former Tigers receiver Hunter Renfrow.
That connection could factor in his final decision, but another school has a stronger relationship.
West Virginia was the first Power Five school to offer him and, more importantly, is the alma mater of his dad, Jon. Jon, a Charleston, WV native, ironically, faced both Clemson and South Carolina while at West Virginia from 1989 to 1993. He redshirted in 1989 when the Mountaineers fell 27-7 to Clemson in the Gator Bowl and started his first collegiate game in 1990 at Williams-Brice Stadium versus the Gamecocks.
Jones is in contact, but has no offer, with the Gamecocks too and was in Columbia for their Junior Day (2/1).
He said his recruitment is wide open with the Mountaineers, Duke, Louisville, Penn State, and UNC showing him the most interest among his 21 offers.
Jones does acknowledge that West Virginia is a dream school, but so is Clemson, and an offer from the Tigers would definitely shake up things.
"It's been one of my dream schools since I was a little kid,” said Jones of Clemson. "You know, just being able to play for that powerhouse, dominate program would be nice. I will continue to work my butt off and hopefully get a chance to play for them."
At 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, Jones is comparable in length and size to the younger versions of former Tigers receivers Tee Higgins and Diondre Overton and sophomore Justyn Ross, who are all over 6-foot-4.
Higgins, Overton, and Ross were multi-sport prep athletes playing both football and basketball. Jones also plays basketball and recently led the Seahawks with a game-high 20 points over Darlington.
He also plans to join the track and field team as a sprinter. As a freshman at Socastee, he competed in the high jump, long jump and 100 meters.
As a sophomore on the football team, he had 227 receiving yards and four touchdowns in an injury-shortened (broken collarbone) season.
Last season, Jones missed four games but still managed to grab 45 receptions for 717 yards and 15 touchdowns. One of his best games, was his seven-catch, 149 yard, three touchdown standout performance against Hartsville.
Those stats helped place him third in state receiver rankings behind Joshua Burrell (No. 1) and Huggins-Bruce (No. 2) according to the 247Sports Composite poll. Jones will have an opportunity to cement his status in the state and move up nationally (No. 85) competing against the nation's best at the Nike Opening regionals, Rivals, and Under Armour camps this summer.
Jones will sign with a school in December and enroll in college early.
