Auburn holds lead over Florida for Rivals 4-star DB Chris Jones

The University of Alabama has had no problem taking the top defensive secondary prospects from the state of Alabama the past two years. This year though, things could prove different for the Auburn Tigers. Chris Jones, a 6’0’’ 185 lb. defensive back out of Minor High in Adamsville, AL is one of a few elite secondary recruits that have Auburn in their sights.

Jones took in Big Cat Weekend last week, and as he has since the beginning, he had another great time on the Plains. “Big Cat was good. I enjoyed being around the players and coaches and everybody.  It was just a weekend of complete fun,” said Jones. “I hung out and met a lot of guys, and they all love Auburn. Jonathan Rose and I (DB, Leeds HS) keep in touch a lot and we hung out as well.”

With Auburn being at the top for Jones before Big Cat Weekend, he left with Auburn in the same spot. However, that comes with a small disclaimer. Asked how big the gap was between his second school, and who that was, Jones had this to say: “It’s Florida. The gap is pretty big right now, but I haven’t been able to go to Florida yet. I don’t really have a good feel of the people or the coaches. That’s what I’ve done every time I’ve come to Auburn. It hasn’t all been about football. It’s about getting to know people and seeing if I fit in there,” Jones said.

While Auburn and Florida stack up one-two, Jones says he’s still open, but those are the main two that have caught his eye.

Right now though, Auburn is separate from the rest. Why have they built such a big lead so early? “It’s not being all about football. Everyone there is just down to earth. They know you, and you get to know them. Everyone around, they’re just really good people.”

If early playing time is what an upcoming senior defensive back wants, there’s no better place to look than Auburn. Luckily for the Tigers, that’s exactly what Jones wants. “Playing early is a big thing. The coaches have told me that I have a chance to come in and start as a freshman. I think it’s something where I would have a chance to start pretty quick,” said Jones.

Jones, Erique Florence (DB, Valley HS), and Jonathan Rose all have Auburn at or near the top, and signing all three would be a huge pull for Auburn. On paper, it would appear to be a future lock down secondary for the Auburn Tigers. Jones can see that.  “I’ve talked to Enrique a couple of times in Auburn, but me and Jonathan talk about it a lot. I know him and his dad, since he played at Auburn have thought about that a lot too. It’s something we’re all considering and we definitely look at it. I think it could be a good possibility,” he said.

While Auburn holds a comfortable lead now, they could feel the lead grow a little smaller in the coming weeks. Jones plans to visit his number two school, Florida, this summer.
“I’m probably going to the Alabama camp on Monday, then I’ll be in Notre Dame for three days in June, and then Florida sometime in the next month. Then I’ll definitely be back for Auburn for a weekend,” Jones added.

There’s still a long way to go with Jones in his recruiting process, but for right now, Auburn is in as good of a position as they can be. Jones is a tremendous athlete, and a great kid, and would be a great addition to the Auburn program. We’ll keep an eye on Jones throughout the summer.