Has Diwun Black Found a 2021 RB for the Florida Gators?
Diwun Black, a top commit in the 2021 class, has shown relentless effort in recruiting other top targets to join Florida's haul. Earlier this week, Black promised Gators fans that he would reel in a running back for the Gators, and promised it would be a good one.
Then came Tuesday evening, when Black started tagging all the UF coaches and putting them onto 2021 Jackson Prep running back Matt Jones. Twitter exploded as many Florida fans were impressed with Jones' film, who is currently unranked by the major recruiting sites. Jackson Prep is a 6A school in Flowood, Mississippi.
According to MaxPreps, in his junior season, Jones toted the rock 202 times, resulting in 1504 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns. Jones averaged 7.4 yards a carry and 125 yards per game, which is impressive for playing some of the best competition in Mississippi. But that's not all, Jones also contributed five touchdowns and 201 receiving yards on only 14 touches.
Sure those stats are solid, Jones' film is where he really sticks out as a diamond in the rough.
Film Review
Speed
Right away, it is obvious how fast Jones is as he has a second gear that is nearly impossible to catch. If I had to guess, I'd say Jones' 40 times would be in the 4.5 range. His quickness in making cuts and changing direction is apparent. Once Jones hits the outside, it is a rarity that he is caught in a footrace before reaching the end zone.
Vision
Jones is slippery due to his ability to make quick cuts and react quickly to defenders flying at him. His vision is exceptional and is often times making plays by making people miss to rack up more yards than he should have had. Jones is no stranger to bouncing plays outside and making it work for him and his team.
Power
Although Jones isn't the biggest back out there, he is very powerful and can take defenders with him on the way to his destination. Jones stays low to the ground and embraces contact, which is especially useful when running between the tackles.
As a sophomore, Jones was also playing safety for his high school team and was no stranger to coming up to help out in run support. Jones is most definitely a downhill runner, in some ways similar to current UF running back Dameon Pierce. Jones is able to bounce off defenders with ease, and when paired with his vision, it is impressive to watch the 5-10, 170-pounder work.
Scheme Fit
One of the more appealing things about Jones' film is that he is already used in a scheme that could translate well to Florida's, making his transition to college easier. Jones is seen utilized in a variety of ways, as he can split out wide and be placed anywhere in the backfield. Jackson Prep uses multiple sets but sticks to their bread and butter of the shotgun and the I-Form. Regardless of the formation and number of defenders in the box, Jones has success.
His receiving skills are also another thing to note, as he is more than capable of catching the ball out of the backfield. Jones is a polished route runner as well, especially when running angle and in routes. When split out wide, Jones put up three touchdowns on go routes.
In the run game, Jones can do it all, in or outside the tackles. Throughout his film, he is seen mainly running between the tackles, but also is used when running counters, pitches, sweeps, and speed options.
My only concern with Jones is his size, as he comes in at 5-10, 170 pounds. This shouldn't be a deal-breaker and he honestly looks like he weighs closer to 185 lbs., but this could play a role in deciding if the UF staff likes him enough to take him or not.
Conclusion
After watching the film, it is impressive how Jones has slipped through the cracks of recruiting services and coaches alike. As of now, Jones holds offers from Texas State, Samford, New Mexico, Lousiana Monroe, Arkansas State, and Alcorn State. Whether Florida offers or not, that list will grow rapidly soon enough.
Although Jones' film is quite impressive, the question is whether or not it will be good enough for the Florida staff. As we have figured out over the past two cycles, Mullen and Knox can be picky when it comes to taking his running backs. Just last season, the staff decided to overlook multiple prospects including Jaylen Knighton and Ashaad Clayton.
On the other hand, it is guys like these that Mullen found and developed into successful ballplayers at Mississippi State. It is not only a choice at the position, but also if Jones is more valuable to hold a spot instead of someone at another position of need. With the Gators currently holding 21 commitments, that could be an issue for someone like Jones trying to get into the class.
However, if the coaches like the film of Jones, the Gators could have a fast-pass to a commitment from a 2021 running back after not landing one last cycle. For what its worth, the last running back named Matt Jones that played at Florida wasn't too shabby.