ORLANDO — It has been 10 days since quarterback Emory Jones (6-3, 175, Franklin, GA. Heard County) made headlines when he signed with the Florida Gators over Florida State, Alabama and Ohio State. Jones arrived in Orlando for the Under Armour All-American feeling relieved that his decision is past him.
“I definitely feel relieved now,” Jones said on having time to think about things after signing. “I got everything off of my back, feeling good about things and just ready to get down to Gainesville and go to work.”
Jones is an early enrollee, which means he will be in Gainesville soon, and he’s already packed up his belongings so he can report quickly after returning home from Orlando.
“They wanted me to come straight there from here [Orlando] but I think I’m going to go home for a day,” he said on when he reports to Florida. “I already have all of my stuff packed so I’m just going to go get it and head down. I’ll be there the 6th or 7th.”
The Gators almost didn’t get Jones but his relationship with quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson and Dan Mullen was the key thing in his decision.
“He was very important, him and Coach Mullen,” Jones said on how important Brian Johnson was to his recruitment. “We have a pretty good relationship and they were my first offer. So we already had a relationship and everything was mutual.”
Jones believes in Mullen’s history with quarterbacks and what he can do to prepare the quarterback for the NFL.
“Really I think he will just develop me as a person and for the next level,” he said on Mullen developing him. “I know he has done it in the past, I’ve been watching film of his offense and the reads he does. I feel like that’s the thing you need at the next level.”
Mullen and the Gators coaching staff have already given Jones something to work on as he prepares for spring ball.
“They want me to get me up to 217, my weight,” Jones said on what the staff wants him to do this spring. “He told me that it’s going to be hard for a freshman to come in and start so I know I have to come in and work and compete. I’m ready for it.”
Now that Jones has signed and is just waiting on time to report, he has had some time to reflect on what his signing did for Mullen and the Gators.
“It’s a great feeling to be the quarterback of this class,” he said on the excitement around the program. “To start things off great for Coach Mullen’s recruiting class and I feel like me and Trey we’re two guys that can bring some great guys in and turn it around.”
With that platform of being the quarterback in the class, Jones says he has some guys he’s going to recruit while in Orlando this week.
“Oh yeah definitely,” Jones said on if he plans on recruiting anyone this week in Orlando. “Jalen Preston, Tommy Bush, Jacob Copeland, I’ve got a couple of guys. I’ve got a list of guys. I’m going to be on them.”
When Jones speaks to those guys, he has a message for them as to why they should consider the Gators.
“I just want to tell them to get back down to the Swamp,” he said on his message to players. “Bring everything back to where it’s supposed to be. I feel like we can be the guys to actually do that.”