Sam Webb Profiles Jarron Jones

Submitted by MGoShoe on

Following up on Tim's latest Wednesday Recruitin' piece, Sam Webb profiles NY DT Jarron Jones (Scout 5*, #2 DT; Rivals 4*, #67 overall) in this DetNews article.

In the fast-paced world of college recruiting... hasty decisions are sometimes made. That's what happened early on in the recruitment of Rochester (NY) Aquinas Institute defensive tackle Jarron Jones. The 6-foot-5, 300-pounder was overwhelmed when perennial Big Ten power Penn State put on its full-court recruiting press. A memorable visit last winter combined with a strong connection with the Nittany Lions staff caused him to jump at the chance to verbally commit. His family told him he should have looked harder before he leaped.

"To be honest with you, Jarron kind of made that decision without discussing it with me and his father," said Jones' mother, Lakiescha Titus-Jones. "Like we tried to tell him, it is OK to feel the way you felt about Penn State, but what we tried to make him do is not to commit and (instead) just list his top five, six, or seven. He just wanted to let Penn State know it was No. 1. There is nothing to not like about Penn State, but I want him to make an educated decision. He hasn't seen places like Michigan. He hasn't seen places like Notre Dame. He hasn't seen Louisville, North Carolina, or really even Syracuse."

So, Jarron is indeed a very soft commit to PSU. Here's what he says about Michigan:

"They are one of the great and winningest colleges in all of college football," said Jones. "I enjoy watching them on Saturday and they are in the Big Ten. The Big Ten is an excellent conference. I know they struggled last year because of injury, but they have Denard Robinson."

And here's what his mom says about where she wants his priorities to be:

"(Academics) are to me more important than him even playing football," Titus-Jones stated emphatically. "Football has granted him the opportunity, but what I make him understand is you can't do one without the other. The most important thing is, is it a good educationally structured system and just a good school where he also feels comfortable? If I have to travel 10 hours and make it a weekend trip (to that school), then I have to make it a weekend trip because I have to do what's best for my son. That's the No. 1 priority. It is not just about being close to home. It is about him being comfortable and them being a good institution. I want him to have a good degree. I do have to know that I am turning him over to someone that is going to make him the best man, then the best student, and then the best athlete he can be. With that, whatever else is gravy. Is the NFL in the future? If that is what God says, let it be. That is not our prize and that's not our goal. Our goal is for him to have a degree in his hand and for him to be a man of honor and of valor."

Expect a more measured approach to Jones' final selection with multiple visits to candidate schools.

"Right now, we are scheduled to see North Carolina on Memorial Day weekend," reported Jones' mother. "The last part of June we are going to see Michigan and Notre Dame. The last part of July, we are going to see Louisville and we may squeeze someone in along that way. We are definitely going to go back to Syracuse, which is right up the road."

"After the season is over, that's when I'll probably start taking officials," added [Jarron] Jones. "My official decision won't be until I sign the papers (on signing day, Feb. 1, 2012), or until the Army (All American) game if I choose to make my decision there."

Sounds like mom is back in control of this Process.

Harballer

May 19th, 2011 at 12:39 PM ^

I think it is really good that recruits have parents like this.  Sometimes kids just get it in their head that this one place is where they wanna go even before actually seeing all the other possible options.  It is also nice to see her putting emphasis on education and less importance on the NFL.  Sounds like he's got a great mother.

michgoblue

May 19th, 2011 at 12:39 PM ^

Given these statements - that he will make a decision at the UA Game or on NSD - why do the sites still list this kid as a commit to PSU?  Sounds like PSU may be the leader, but he is not a commit in any sense of the word. 

Once this kid gets on campus and Brady and Mattison do their thing, we have as good of a shot as anyone.

MGoShoe

May 19th, 2011 at 12:56 PM ^

...purposes, he's no longer a PSU commit. That said, it's clear to me they should not be dismissed.

I absolutely concur with your last sentence. One thing I've noted is that recruits have been saying that their Michigan visits are different. There seems to be much more emphasis on the academic side of things and that approach may pay major dividends with Jones.

Captain

May 19th, 2011 at 12:43 PM ^

Really like mom's take on the NFL and life in general:

That is not our prize and that's not our goal. Our goal is for him to have a degree in his hand and for him to be a man of honor and of valor.

Noleverine

May 19th, 2011 at 1:05 PM ^

This kid is from one of my rival high schools, though I haven't been back home recently to see him play.  Rochester area is not the best for football, though there was one lineman I played against who ended up coming to Michigan, though for a short career, Justin Schifano.

While they are a rival school, I would love to be able to root for him in the maize and blue.  We need better representation out this way.

Laser Wolf

May 19th, 2011 at 3:55 PM ^

I love that "but they have Denard Robinson" is a legitimate equalizer. I'm going to start using this in everyday, unrelated circumstances.

"Sure I may have run that red light, officer... but we have Denard Robinson."

"Alright then. You be careful out there, son."

Wolvercane

May 19th, 2011 at 6:58 PM ^

but can we recruit his mother? 

Imagine going into a recruits home and say: "You can either play for a liar in Columbus, a warden in East Lansing, or come to Ann Arbor and have your son become "a man of honor and of valor."