LSU OL Emery Jones Impacting The Tigers Both On And Off The Field
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LSU offensive lineman Emery Jones is poised for a big sophomore campaign in Baton Rouge. The Louisiana native played a major role for the Tigers in 2022 as a freshman, but as he transitions into year two, it’s expected he takes that next step.
Both Emery and Will Campbell made history for Brian Kelly’s squad. As first-year Tigers, they started in SEC play, handled business and proved how reliable they will be for years to come.
But the time is now to put it all together and Jones has made an impact on this locker room already. Coach Kelly has praised Jones for what he’s done for this program.
Poised and Reliable
The culture in Baton Rouge is changing rapidly. Everyone is held accountable for what they do both good and bad, but for Jones, he’s become a player Coach Kelly believes is the standard of LSU football.
"He makes good choices, good decisions. He is never late to anything. He is reliable. This is a guy that we can count on,” Kelly said. “He is so reliable and that goes to his background, his family, and his high school. The guy isn’t even a sophomore yet and he brings these things to the table. He’s an exceptional young man.”
A Stud Both On and Off the Field
Coach Kelly wants complete players playing for his program. That means making the right moves on the gridiron but also in the classroom. The praise Kelly has given Jones is eye-opening as he continues taking that next step as both a player and a man off the field.
“It starts with how he handles himself off the field first. He makes good decisions and he’s never on a list,” Brian Kelly said last week. “I was telling our guys this the other day that if there is just one question I get from NFL general managers and staff it’s, 'Is he reliable?' This is a guy that you can count on.”
Moving Pieces During Spring, Versatility
Spring camp hasn’t been perfect thus far for the offensive line. With only six scholarship players on the field at times, there has been some movement with this position group. Both Jones and Campbell, who are expected to be the Tigers’ starting tackles this season, have shuffled around to see what fits just in case.
Jones is a versatile piece to this offensive line. He can play guard, he specializes at tackle as seen during his freshman campaign, but he’s open to doing anything that puts LSU in position to win.
“Right now we’re all shuffling pieces trying to see who can play what,” Jones said on Saturday. “We’re just kinda moving around. Will’s playing left and right, we’re all just trying to make everything work as a whole.”
As spring camp continues, it’s clear Jones is ready to take on more of a leadership role for this program as he transitions into his sophomore season in Death Valley.
