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CB/FS, 6'1, 170, 4.5, 275 BP
Waynesboro, GA
Nickname: Keitan
Birthday: 2-3-81
High School: Burke County
HS Mascot: Bears
HS Coach: Mike Falluer
HS Position: QB/FS
HS Number: 5
AL Number: 20 or 35
Official Visits: Alabama
Second Choice: South Carolina
Host During Alabama Visit: Lanis Baxley
Committed: 1-13-99
Roommate To Be: Lanis Baxley
Academic Status: Qualified
Stats
HS Junior Season
Passing
Rushing
HS Senior Season
Passing
Rushing
Tackles
Interceptions
Honors
- Two-time All-Region
- Two-time All-State
- Two-time All-CRSA
- WBBQ Area Player of The Year
SBR Scouting Report
Plays quarterback in an option offense in high school. Good speed and quickness. On film, he appears to have good height for a defensive back. Will probably get his first look at cornerback but his best position could be safety.
[Observation: junior and senior game film.]
Stories
Another DeShea?
He's one of the lesser-known players in Alabama's recruiting class. But some think that Charles Jones might turn out to be one of the best.
"Coach [Dabo] Swinney compares me to DeShea Townsend," Jones says. "He thinks that I can be that good."
SBR
Jones |
In high school, Jones was primarily a quarterback. Over the last two seasons he had more than 4,000 yards of total offense.
"I think playing quarterback will help me as a defensive back," he says. "I know what the offense is going to do before the play. When you know what's going to happen, you react to the play much quicker."
Playing defense won't be totally foreign to Jones. As a part-time free safety in high school he had 13 career interceptions.
"I've never played cornerback, but I don't think it'll be a big adjustment," he says. "I have the speed and quickness to play man coverage. In high school I was put in some man situations and didn't have a problem. I know that I can do it."
Jones Brings A Smile to Swinney's Face!
The only thing Charles Jones was waiting for was an offer.
"Lanis Baxley sold me on Alabama a long time ago," Jones says. "I knew that if they offered me I was coming."
Baxley, currently a freshman offensive tackle at Alabama, was a high school teammate with Jones at Burke County HS in Waynesboro, GA.
"He told me that the Alabama coaches were real honest," Jones says. "He said that what they tell you during recruiting is the same thing when you get here. It's one thing to hear that from the coaches, but when a friend tells you something like that, then you know it's true."
Cottrell's Frog Croaks A Good Tune
Charles Jones thought that the sales pitch was over, but Ronnie Cottrell had a surprise ending.
"He said that before I left his office he had something that I needed to hear," Jones says. "He pulled this little green plastic frog out of his desk."
Cottrell began squeezing the frog.
"Every time he squeezed it, it would sing the Alabama fight song," Jones says. "When it would stop, he'd squeeze it again."
Later Cottrell squeezed a commitment out of Jones.
Most Memorable High School Moment
Burke County was preparing for it's game against Augusta Richmond County.
"Coach told me all week to watch for the tight end over the middle," recalls Charles Jones. "It was their favorite play."
In the fourth quarter, Burke County was clinging to a 7-3 lead. Richmond County was driving near midfield. Jones sensed a pass to the tight end was coming.
"I laid off of him a little bit to make the quarterback think I was out of position," Jones says. "I jumped in front of the receiver and intercepted it."
Jones cut to his left and raced down the sideline for the clinching points.
Q&A
TI: Alabama signed several outstanding defensive backs. Where do you see yourself fitting in?
CJ: They recruited me as a cornerback, but I might play free safety.
TI: Do you expect to play or redshirt next season?
CJ: I have a good chance to play because Alabama doesn't have much depth. A lot of the [freshman] defensive backs will play next season.
TI: Your listed 40 time is 4.5. Is that a consistent time?
CJ: Actually, I haven't run the 40 since my sophomore year. I think I'm faster than that now, but I tell people 4.5 because that's my last time.
TI: You weigh 170 pounds. Do you need to gain weight?
CJ: I've had problems gaining weight because I play so many sports in high school. I've been playing football, basketball, baseball and running track. I'm starting a workout program and I want to get up to 180 by the time I get to Alabama. The main thing though is that I keep my speed.
TI: Dabo Swinney recruited you for Alabama. What did you think about him as a recruiter?
CJ: He was great! Coach Swinney was very straight up with me and I appreciated that.
TI: You mentioned that Swinney has compared you to DeShea Townsend. Talk about the comparison.
CJ: Coach Swinney told me that DeShea was a lot like me coming out of high school. He was quarterback that didn't get a lot of recognition, but he came to Alabama and ended being a great cornerback.
TI: How do you feel about being a part of a recruiting class that's considered one of the best in the country?
CJ: It makes me feel very good. A lot of the guys that signed with Alabama were in the recruiting magazines that I read before the season. It looks like we got a lot of the top players.
TI: Have you become friends with any of the other players that signed with Alabama?
CJ: I hit it off with Gerald Dixon pretty good. We flew to Alabama together. And a lot of us became friends the weekend that we visited [January 8th]. The whole weekend all of us were talking about coming to Alabama together.
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