Jay Jones earned his first Power 5 offer from Tennessee last month and quickly developed a relationship with secondary coach and defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley.
The 2021 Alabama defensive back decided the Fourth of July was the perfect day to go ahead and commit, becoming the third member of the class along with Alabama wideout Jordan Mosley and local athlete Elijah Howard.
“Tennessee is getting a baller,” Jones said. “It’s the right school for me.”
Jones, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound corner who started for Demopolis (Ala.) as a sophomore, received an offer from Tennessee after he clocked a 4.5 in the 40-yard dash and impressed in an individual workout. Ansley is enamored with Jones’ length and ball-skills.
“They like my aggressiveness,” said Jones, who had four interceptions in 2018. “How I get after it.”
Jones’ grandparents live in Chattanooga and are longtime Tennessee fans. The rising junior admits he had a slight interest in the Vols as a kid, but now that he’s committed, he’s all-Tennessee.
“I believe it’s a great school. It can help me with the position I play. They can develop me as a cornerback,” Jones explained. “I like that coach Ansley would be my position coach and defensive coordinator.”
Jones added that his desire to play with Ansley, and his family’s comfort with the rising coach, sealed the deal for Tennessee.
“Everyone is excited. Ansley is a pretty good guy. My family likes him a lot,” Jones said. “He’s glad that I’ll be one of the first people in the class to commit.”
