Saraland, Alabama WR Velus Jones Jr. takes path less traveled on gridiron

When Saraland High School’s Velus Jones Jr. hauls in a reception, make no mistake, he knows how to blaze a well worn path to the end zone. Either by finding that extra gear outrunning defenders, placing a well timed hesitation step, or putting a juke on two or three defenders at one time leaving all three grasping for air, Jones turned 51 receptions into 1,118 yards with nine touchdowns during the 2014 season.

Off the field Jones played the game within the game taking a path less traveled for Alabama high school football players. Not only did he buck the trend by verbally committing to a program outside in-state powers Auburn and Alabama, he even bypassed regional powerhouse conferences in the SEC and ACC. Jones verbally committed to Pac-12 power Southern California on April 27 doing the unthinkable by the standards of many.

For the casual football fan trying to grasp or understand the importance of what Jones has done… first, this means you do not live in or have grown up in the south. Secondly, you may never fully understand but in an attempt to explain, pulling loosely from a military equivalency: God, Core, and Country, in that order. For football fans in a given southern state the mentality is: God, in-state school, and if none of the above then “dead to me.” All southern states are hardcore with this line of thinking but in a state like Alabama the heat is notched up a little bit more than in other states.

The Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers recruit the kind of talent year after year to be a national title contender year after year. In states with a similar setup, featuring two Power 5 Conference teams, states like Mississippi, Washington, Arizona, Oregon, Kentucky, Georgia, and Tennessee, the balance of power is either sided heavily to one program over the other or neither team is truly a national title contender making the loss of a highly regarded in-state recruit painful on a different level but a far more regular occurrence thus not as surprising.

In-state programs typically slow play different in-state recruits picking top rated players from outside the region to offer first, if possible, and then use backyard talents to fill-in gaps in their recruiting classes as National Signing Day approaches as needed. While Auburn and Alabama explored their options nationwide USC did not hesitate. Thanks to a strong relationship with a former SEC standout, Tee Martin (Tennessee), Jones did not wait to see if Alabama or Auburn were going to offer. He instead verbally committed to another perennial national contender securing a different path for conference titles and the potential to play for a national title team representing the colors of a different program under the banner of a different state.

In an Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview we sat down with Velus to go over his 2014 season, his offseason workouts, a look ahead to the 2015 season, and find out what influenced him to commit to USC.

 

Velus, Saraland was one of the state’s best teams in 2014 finishing 13-2. You avenged your lone 28-13 regular season loss to Spanish Fort by upending them in the playoffs 14-10. Then you lost a heartbreaker to Clay-Chalkville in the semifinals 36-31. As painful as it may be, give us a rundown of how the 2014 season played out for you and the Spartans.

“At the beginning of the season we played Daphne (35-28), word was out that we were supposed to lose that game. We go into every game with a lot of confidence. We were getting everything down come game time. We were ready. We came out, executed, and it ended in our favor.

“At the end of the Daphne game we were up by a TD (touchdown), they were on their 20. Our D (defense) had to come up with a stop and they did. That really got us going into the season.

“I got better as the season went along. I communicated better with my quarterback as the season went on, where I like the ball, making sure our timing was right. We had no days off, just practice, practice, practice. We wanted to be great.

“One thing about losing, once you lose you don’t like that feeling. You never want to lose again. Losing makes me tougher as a player. It made me work harder. After the loss to Spanish Fort, Blount was the next biggest game. They had one of the best running back in the state. One thing about our team, we were good at stopping the run. We beat Blount going away.”

How did the season progress along for you?

“I started catching a lot of passes in the middle in the year. I started my sophomore year. As the season went along coach found out I was good a deep balls. He started giving me more and more opportunities. I had to catch on fast. He put the ball in my hands more and more every game. It all paid off against Blount. That was a very big game. I did very well. The game ended 50-9. We went into the playoffs on a high.

“I’ve been blessed with God given speed without him none of this would be possible. Throughout the playoffs teams tried to double cover me. Teams were watching film, they tried to stop me but couldn’t. Going into the Spanish Fort game in the playoffs, we had lost to Spanish Fort three times in a row. We had that swagger, we came in confident. Everybody was talking about locking me down. Everyone was talking about how they were going to shut me down. In that game, it was one of my biggest games in my high school career. I think I had nine receptions for 144 yards. Hard work pays.”

What happened in the championship game?

“Clay-Chalkville was the next team. I had never played in a game that big before. Everyone was talking about it. I prayed about it. We all were focused in practice and executing well.

“On the kickoff they kicked away from me. They were up 16-6 in the first quarter. Everybody was down. I talked to the wide receivers, getting everyone pumped up. We came back after an onside kick. The first play coach threw it deep to me on a post route for a touchdown. That turned the momentum around.

“Our defense was stopping them, I think we were up 24-16. Then the momentum switched to Clay-Chalkville. They scored and then made two big time plays. TJ Simmons (wide receiver Saraland) broke one for 70-yards. On our last drive we came up short.

“I still watch the game to see what mistakes I made. You have to keep working to get better. I still work at the park to be more explosive and be better.”

Can the Spartans make another deep run into the playoffs in 2015?

“Most definitely. The defense is flying around, having fun. Everybody is excited. We’re looking forward to the spring game coming up. I love my boys going to work with them, there’s no other place I would rather be.

“In my opinion we will be better than last year. I think we have more depth at the wide receiver position. I know I have a target on my because of the USC thing. Everybody will want a piece of me. I’m giving 100 percent everyday to get better.”

You had a great season last year going over 1,100 yards, did you earn any individual honors for your performance?

“I was a 6A First-Team All-State wide receiver.”

What are your goals for the 2015 football season?

“I’ll put it like this, when the day is over I just want to be better than the day I came in. This season I want to do better than last year. I do want to break more tackles this year, that’s how I look at it.”

What are your strengths on the field?

“I run good routes. My favorite route is the comeback. My catching is another strength. I’m so used to it now. My speed, most definitely, is a strength. When the ball is in the air I have another gear. I can go get it. My agility to move around, I’m fluid. On deep balls I am very good. I can make a big play happen in space. I can cut on a dime and go full speed.”

Are the coaches opening up the offense to you for next year? Will we see you lined up in the backfield or taking reverses? Will we see you on the punt return team?

“Yeah, they’ve been working me at punt returner. I’ve been doing kickoff returns already. They’ve been switching me around putting me at the slot and putting me at tight end. They want to move me around.”

What else have you been doing in the offseason to prepare for your senior year?

“I’m watching film on our practices, seeing what I can get better at and how can I get off the ball faster. I’ve tightened my splits and I’m working with my QB to get better so we have that strong bond, even outside of practice.”

Let’s talk a little bit about recruiting. Tee Martin was your lead recruiter right?

“Yes.”

How did the commitment go down?

“I got on the phone with him (Tee Martin). He asked me “how life doin.” I told him the day before I was going to have some good news for him that day. He didn’t know it was that. He was so excited. He was like a kid going to a lollipop store. He was telling me the different types of opportunities I would have out in LA and everything.”

Did you talk to Steve Sarkisian (head coach) when you committed?

“Yeah, I talked to him. He told me he was happy that I committed to the Trojans. He got on the phone with my dad. Not sure what they talked about. He was telling me that I made a good decision and that I can do great things at USC. He’s looking forward to National Signing Day.”

You have offers from Arkansas State, Cincinnati, Florida, Georgia Southern, Louisiana Tech, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisville, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Troy, Tulsa, UCLA, Mississippi St., Kentucky, and Texas State. Are any of those schools or any other programs still recruiting you?

“Bama has been by and so has Florida. LSU came by for the first time the other day. Tulsa, Florida, Bama, and Minnesota have been at practice, oh, and Louisville, definitely Louisville.”

When the different college coaches have talked to you about your game what are they telling you they like?

“They’re telling me they like my catching ability, my route running, and they love my deep balls. They see I have a gear when the ball is in the air and I get separation. They also like when I get the ball in the open field and how I can make plays.”

What influenced you to commit to USC?

“USC is one of the Top 5 schools in football, but it was about the connection I had with Tee Martin. He has a niece that goes to my school. Tee and I, we have a lot in common. We have a bond. He made me feel comfortable. I know he and my dad had talked, my dad liked Tee too. It felt like it was my time, my gut told me to commit.”

When do you plan on visiting USC?

“I was going to go out there for a camp, most likely I’ll be out there for a camp this summer. I will take an official visit there next year.”

Are fans giving you a hard time about not committing to a school like Auburn or Alabama?

“None of the coaches are giving me a hard time, but all the Bama and Auburn fans are asking why USC? I keep telling them that God was pointing in that direction.”

Right now neither Bama nor Auburn has offered. If either school were to offer would you take an official visit there?

“I want to word this carefully. If they were to offer me I would take a visit, but I am still strongly linked to USC. That will be the direction I’m still point to.”

Do you participate in any sports outside of football for Saraland?

“I run track.”

Which events?

“The 100, 200, and 4×1.”

What are your best times in the 100 and 200?

“In the 100 my best time is an 11-flat. In the 200, 23-flat.”

Is there an NFL player you enjoy watching play the game?

“Odel Beckham! Beckham, that man, he makes unbelievable catches. He’s so blessed. He’s like a role model to me. He has God given talent. I’m just a big fan.”

What is your favorite part of playing football?

“One is winning. Another one is building relationships with my teammates. Football is not forever, you can get injured at anytime. Having fun playing the game is important. I love blocking especially down field.”

 

Written by Ryan Wright

Photo credit: al.com; No. 3 Velus Jones Jr. in the open field for Saraland.

Photo credit: 247sports.com; No. 3 Velus Jones Jr. fights for more yards.