Blue-chip linebackers don’t grow on trees, but sometimes they blossom overnight. That’s what happened to Ware County High standout Ernest Jones, who didn’t become a starter until his junior year, but suddenly became one of the most sought-after linebackers in the state. Jones first gained notice as a sophomore at WCHS, totaling 24 tackles (16 solo) including one tackle for loss (TFL) and two sacks. The team, meanwhile, posted an 11-4 mark, bowing one game shy of the 2015 state finals.
“Ernest didn’t get an opportunity to play much as a sophomore, but he gathered a lot of mental information from sitting in meetings and watching the older guys in front of him,” said WCHS head coach Franklin Stephens. “Ernest was 175 pounds and not yet ready to play. However, he took advantage of the off-season and gained 30 pounds and two inches of height, facilitating a great junior year.”
Breaking out in 2016, Jones racked up 56 total tackles (41 solos), with five TFL, two sacks, and two quarterback hurries. The Gators consequently went 6-3 in the regular season, making it to the quarterfinals. Now a 6’2”/220-pound headhunter, Jones is poised for his senior campaign in The Swamp. This past spring, he committed to play at the University of South Carolina, choosing the Gamecocks out of 28 scholarship offers.
“Florida was my dream school coming up and if they had offered me earlier, I might have gone there,” Jones said. “I visited Auburn, Georgia Tech, Duke, and Florida, but things happened at those other schools that turned me away from them. Then when I stepped onto the campus at USC, I just loved it. It felt like home. It felt like Waycross. The only way I would pull away from USC would be if Jesus himself had a school.”
Jones, the son of Ernest Jones, Jr. and Portia Wells, earned a coveted roster spot in the Rising Seniors Bowl last December. He suited up for Team Commitment alongside fellow Ware County standout Jalynn Strickland and opposite another Gator teammate, Trey Cobb, who started for Team Dedication. Jones tallied 12 stops that afternoon as Team Dedication notched the victory. Gamecocks head coach Will Muschamp soon made it a priority to get Jones to Columbia.
“Pat Washington was my recruiter, but it changed hands because once I visited, they saw I had a great personality and great film,” said Jones. “Then linebackers coach Coleman Hutzler took over and Coach Muschamp texted me every day. Coach Muschamp has got a great personality. He’s a lot like Coach Stephens – they love their kids and if you don’t live up to your potential, they will get on you.”
According to Jones, the Gators weren’t playing up to their potential in last season’s opener against rival Coffee, falling behind 21-0 in the first quarter. That’s the game he cites as his favorite highlight of the season, though. The Gators finally found their groove against the Trojans, going on a 30-6 run down the stretch to pull out a three-point victory. “We battled back,” he said. “With the heat, it being a Saturday, we were tired – we just pushed through and got the job done.”
Playing one of the more brutal schedules in school history, the Gators were just 2-3 at midseason and had a game canceled due to inclement weather. WCHS then won four in a row to finish the regular season slate. Ultimately, the Gators made it to the third round of the state playoffs before bowing to eventual state champion Rome.
“We did pretty good for a team of juniors getting their feet wet,” Jones said.” It was my first year starting after backing up guys like Dedrick Mills and Ervin Nard. Now Dedrick is at Georgia Tech and Ervin plays for Carson-Newman. Those guys taught me what offenses are going to come at us with and how I need to react to make plays. There were a lot of days when I just sat in the film room and now I pride myself with being knowledgeable about what a team is going to run before I see them.”
Preparation in the weight room has also been a Jones standard, where his current max totals include 300 pounds on the bench, 295 in power cleans, and 390 on the squat rack. He also boasts a 40-yard dash time of 4.75 seconds, which has allowed him to contribute on offense as a slot receiver. There he had four touchdown grabs last season and scored several two-point conversions. In fact, Jones’ speed and athleticism have also been commodities for the Gators track team. Last season, he placed 4th in the region and 9th at sectionals in the 110 hurdles.
Apparently Jones ran his last high school hurdles event, though. Come next January, he plans to enroll early at South Carolina. This fall, Jones will middle linebacker or weakside backer for the Gators, but USC coaches say he’ll likely either roam the middle or work the weak side when he suits up in the Southeastern Conference.
“I’ll definitely play special teams, but that linebacker spot is wide open,” Jones said. “They say if I come in, work hard, and do what I can do, that I will earn playing time. But it’s like that anywhere you go. Right now, the class of ’18 is building something really special. With the people we are recruiting, our linebacking corps is going to be the strongest in the SEC, there is no doubt in my mind.”
Among his five siblings, Jones lands in the middle of the pack age wise. He points to youngest brother Kasai, 11, as the athlete in the family who will make the biggest impact. A rising sixth grader at Ware Middle School, Kasai has eyes on a pro baseball career. The two manage to find for various athletic drills. On Sundays, Jones attends Greater St. Paul Church, where he serves as an usher.
Spare time for Jones includes hanging with friends Cobb, Strickland, Jordon Turner, and Raja’ Bradley at the beach or chowing on pizza. His favorite high school courses have been social studies, though Jones plans to study pre-med. That pursuit, he says, has been inspired by the one he most adores.
“My mom is the love of my life,” Jones said. “She does physical therapy as a traveling nurse. My mom is going to guide me in the right direction my whole entire life. I can be 70 years old and she is always going to be on my butt.”
Motivation, according to Jones, was a problem area last year for the Gators.
“What held us back from doing as much we could have was leadership,” he said. “Right now, it’s coming, but we have a lot of work to do. I’m a vocal kind of guy and once the lights come on Friday, its go time for me.”
Stephens said, “Ernest has tremendous football savvy, which allows him to dissect and react to plays fast. He has a great attitude and work ethic that exemplifies the type of kid we want in our program. We look forward to Ernest having an elite senior year.”
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Players Spotlight/Southeast /August 2017
Ernest Jones
Ware County High School
Waycross, Georgia
Story by John DuPont
Photography by Jennifer Carter Johnson
Going Garnett
