Shorter veteran Jones earns Rising Hawk Award, NFL attention
David Thompson
Guest Writer
david.thompson@hawks.shorter.edu
Senior linebacker Jevaris Jones is nally being recognized for his stellar play on the field. He was named the Rising Hawk of the Week after his performance against West Florida Saturday when he amassed 13 total tackles, two pass breakups, a recovered fumble and a blocked field goal.
These types of impressive numbers are becoming the norm for Jones, who has logged at least 10 tackles in five of the seven games he has played in this year. He now has 57 solo tackles on the season, which leads the Gulf South Conference and puts him second in all of Division II. He also has 10 tackles for loss and three-and-a-half sacks, which both lead the team.
In addition to earning local accolades, this high level of play has also attracted the attention of the National Football League. A scout from the Buffalo Bills was present during practice recently and talked to Jones several times.
For Jones, who has never had an NFL scout visit him before, the event was thrilling and motivating. He wants to continue to do even more on the eld than he already has.
“It makes me want to go just that much harder because I know that people are looking at me now. It makes me want to do the little things and do them right,” Jones said.
This is not the first time a football player from Shorter has caught the eye of the NFL. Last season, senior defensive players Jordan Shaw, Santavious Bryant and Greg Carswell all had conversations with NFL teams.
However, Shorter football has never had an athlete play at the professional level.
The difference for Jones is his preparation in the offseason, which he believes will help him succeed where so many others have failed to make the cut. He plans to train with Chip Smith, who is one of the most reputable speed and strength trainers in the world and has sent over 300 athletes to the NFL.
For Jones, who only has three more games to play in his college career, the goal right now is to do the things that have already brought him success: “Just be coachable and work hard,” he said. “There are different coaches and I just listen and learn from them because they know more than I do.”
