2022 Recruit Emery Jones Recaps a Wild Hour That Saw Him Pick Up Offers From LSU Football, Three Others
For Catholic High School junior offensive tackle Emery Jones, the afternoon of May 14, 2020 will be one he doesn't soon forget. The Baton Rouge native was hanging out at a friend's house when he received a call from his high school coach.
"He said he had somebody he wanted me to talk to," Jones said. "It was coach O and he told me that not too many guys move like I do and that I could stay home and be a hometown hero and the fans will love me. That's when he made me the offer."
What ensued over the coming hours is an experience that many high school athletes grow up dreaming of. By the end of the day, Jones had not only picked up an offer from the Tigers but Alabama, Florida and ULL. The following day came Penn State, Louisiana Tech, Vanderbilt and Virginia.
"I spent a good bit on my phone yesterday," Jones said with a chuckle. "It's been great, it's been a blessing and you get shocked for sure. When some of the best schools are coming at you in a span of five minutes it's pretty crazy."
At this point, Jones is taking in any and all offers that come his way while giving each and every program equal thought. It's not hard to see why so many programs are coveting the 6-foot-5, 300-pound rising junior.
Coming out of his sophomore season, Jones never envisioned the offers would start to pile up this quickly. His coach advised him to make a video to send to various schools because of the likelihood that there wouldn't be any summer camps due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
"I went back and looked at the tape and said to myself 'man this is pretty good.'" Jones said. “My coach sent out the video and I think that's what got me the offers so quick. It showed that can I move but at the end of the day I know I still have to prove myself."
Part of the conversation with Orgeron was revolved around seeing when the Tigers could get Jones down for a visit. It's about a 10 minute drive from Catholic to LSU's campus and while Jones has been to many LSU games over the years, he has never been on campus for an unofficial visit.
Growing up between Baton Rouge and Plaquemine, the LSU fandom has always been a part of Jones' bloodline. The last game Jones attended was the 42-28 win over Florida last season and said the environment is what really sticks out when inside Death Valley.
"As a Baton Rouge player, our dreams are to go to LSU and play with the Tigers," Jones said. "It was just a dream come true. Coach O likes that I'm physical and very agile on the line as well. It was nice knowing that I was fan of him and that he's also a fan of me, it was wonderful to hear that.
"The electricity from the fans is second to none, knowing who they are and then seeing the guys get hyped up on the sideline getting ready to play, it electrifies you and makes you want to be there on the field with them," Jones said.
While he's already a big guy, Jones thinks there's a ton of room to grow stronger in his 6-foot-5 frame, which is a main area of focus for him this offseason. He also wants to get a little bit faster while cleaning up his pad level technique wise.
"Some things I think I do well are moving my feet, using my hands through blocks and finishing blocks," Jones said. "I've been lifting everyday and I've been working with one of my o-line friends, working pads and working footwork so we don't get rusty. I've been running sprints and playing a little basketball, just stuff like that to not get lazy and stay active."
Throughout its championship run this past season, Jones was very impressed by the offensive line and the way the physical nature in which they played to give Joe Burrow enough time to make his reads. It's an offensive system he knows all too well as it's similar to the offense he's currently running at Catholic.
In particular, senior guard Damien Lewis was a player that always seemed to catch Jones' eye.
"I watch him and knowing his story and how he didn't come from a D-I school, he transferred from a JUCO college after not having any offers out of high school," Jones said. "I like how he's able to stay low and how powerful he is. He was still able to start and get drafted and he's just a role model for me."
