2023 DL Shymeik Jones sees recruitment explode following Florida State Mega Camp

Florida State held its second Mega Camp under head coach Mike Norvell over the weekend. With coaches from over 20+ colleges working the event, nearly a thousand recruits over the 2023 and 2024 classes flocked to Tallahassee. While there were a few nationally known prospects at the camp, the majority of players came in flying under the radar.

One recruit who is firmly on the map for college programs is 2023 defensive lineman Shymeik Jones. He entered the day with zero offers. Following a standout performance at the Mega Camp where Jones was one of the best, if not the best, players on the field, he walked out of the weekend with nine offers. He's now up to 13 scholarship offers as of Wednesday morning.

"Honestly, I feel the same," Jones said to NoleGameday's Dustin Lewis. "I'm very humble, I feel the same. I know in my head that this is the beginning for me and I have to keep going. In the moment, I was happy. This is the start. It's good to be happy but don't be happy yet. Just keep going. Just keep doing what I can do."

The South Carolina native first heard about the camp from Director of High School Relations, Ryan Bartow. When one of his high school coaches also mentioned it to him, Jones decided it would be a good opportunity. Clearly, he was right.

"I caught the attention of coach Bartow and he started texting me about how I should come to the camp," Jones said. "He sent me the schedule and one of my coaches came and told me I should go to the camp. I thought it would be good for me and I decided to go."

Prior to position drills and one-on-ones, players went through athletic testing. On an intramural field that wasn't in the best shape during the early portion of the summer, Jones had no issues. Standing at 6-foot-5, 255-pounds, he ran a 4.79-second 40-yard dash, the fastest time of any defensive lineman.

"One of my main goals was to just go out there and compete and have fun," Jones said. "I just wanted to show coaches that being 255 pounds, I have speed and I have the ability to move."

The offers started to roll in before his workout even began. Bethune Cookman and Valdosta State became the first two schools to offer Jones shortly after his arrival. Then, he hit the field and coaches began turning their heads. Before he knew it, Jones was sitting down with Florida State head coach Mike Norvell, who informed him the Seminoles were offering.

"Coach Norvell, the head coach, he offered me," Jones said. "I was happy. The main reason I was happy was that he realized every single time a coach talked to me, I kept eye contact because honestly, I cared about what they were telling me. That was really the main reason I was happy because he saw that I cared."

"He was explaining how everything he heard and expected before I came there, I showed it," Jones continued. "I hustled back every single time the drill was over, I kept pushing through, finished through every drill, and I did everything I was supposed to do athletically wise."

Outside of Norvell, Jones is familiar with defensive line coach Odell Haggins and defensive ends coach John Papuchis. Haggins visited his school during the spring and Jones worked withed Papuchis at the camp.

"Coach Odell came to the school a while back to see me and Xzavier [McLeod] practice," Jones said. "Then I saw the other one [coach JP] at the camp and I got to work with him too. It felt good working with them, they wanted everybody out there to get better, they were pushing everybody."

Jones is still wrapping his head around his exploding recruitment. With that said, he's beginning to think about visits and it's possible that the Seminoles will get him back on the campus in the future.

"I think there is a good chance," Jones said. "I hope there is a good chance that I can because I would love to."

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