Tag: Anthony Jones

Florida football a ‘top school’ for 4-star EDGE after junior day visit

Four-star EDGE Anthony Jones was impressed by the Gators on his Junior Day visit.

Florida football hosted its first junior day of the year on Saturday, welcoming a number of high-profile recruits, including four-star edge rusher Anthony Jones from St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Mobile, Alabama.

For Jones, this was a return trip to Gainesville, having last visited during a game day when the Gators defeated the UCF Knights in October.

Unlike his game day visit, the quieter weekend provided Jones with ample opportunity to engage more deeply with the coaching staff and explore the university environment.

“It was good and it was more hand on talking to all the coaches and stuff,” Jones shared, according to Swamp247. “Just being with all the people and the staff. Like Ms. Savannah (Bailey), I love being with her. She talks about different stuff, personal stuff. It meant a lot to me.”

Jones spent a significant portion of his visit with Florida edge coach Mike Peterson. Their time together included not just football talk but personal interactions as well.

“I played him (Peterson) on NCAA earlier, and I had lost, so I’m kind of mad about that,” Jones said. “Other than that, it was good. We got a good relationship. He was talking to me about my basketball. How I’ve been hooping and stuff. Talking about his family, talking about my family. Personal life stuff like that.”

Jones engaged with defensive lineman Caleb Banks during a panel discussion between the recruits and active players on the Florida football roster.

“He (Banks) talked about how to not rush the process, and how Florida is a good place,” Jones said. “It was good to get actual knowledge from the players who have been through it.”

Following his visit to Florida, Jones plans to visit other programs. But the Gators have certainly made a strong impression.

“They’re (Florida) one of the top schools, like top 10 for sure,” Jones stated, including other notable programs like Texas A&M, Notre Dame, Auburn, Miami and Oregon in his current preferences.

Recruiting Summary

Jones is a four-star edge rusher out of St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Mobile, Alabama. Standing at 6 feet 3.5 inches tall and weighing 240 pounds, he is a member of the 2026 class.

According to 247Sports, Jones is the No. 2 edge, No. 11-ranked recruit in the nation and the top recruit in the state of Alabama for the 2026 recruiting class. On3 ranked him 12th nationally and the No. 2 edge rusher.

The Auburn Tigers show a strong interest in Jones, with a 100% Crystal Ball prediction for his commitment, according to 247Sports expert Tom Loy.

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Spartans DL confirms he’ll be returning for another season at MSU

Michigan State football will be welcoming back one of its key defensive lineman for another season

Michigan State football will be welcoming back one of its key defensive lineman for another season.

Anthony Jones confirmed on Wednesday that he’ll return to Michigan State next year. Jones made the announcement via social media platform X.

Jones just wrapped up his first season at Michigan State, finishing the year with 25 tackles — which included two sacks. Prior to this past season, he played one year at Oregon before transferring to Indiana for one year as well.

Jones should again play a role for the Spartans in 2025. He will compete for a starting spot and should at a minimum be in the rotation again for Michigan State.

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Five-star EDGE says the Swamp was ‘real loud’ in visit with Florida

One of the highest ranked EDGE prospects in college football has a great first visit with the Gators.

Five-star EDGE Anthony Jones in the 2026 cycle visited Gainesville and watched Florida football defeat the UCF Knights, 24-13, in the Swamp last weekend.

Jones, a prospect out of St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Mobile, Alabama, and the second-ranked recruit in the state according to 247Sports, was pleased to see the Gators’ defense perform well against the Knights.

“It was great to see the home team get the win,” Jones told Swamp247 after the game. “I haven’t been to a lot of home games this year that the team I was visiting got the win. It was great to see their D-line getting in the backfield and all the blitzing they were running. It was great to see, and I could definitely see myself fitting into one of those spots on the D-line.”

Jones also credited the fans at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for bringing the energy.

“It was crazy in there. Real loud,” Jones said. “That is what you expect The Swamp to sound like for sure.”

Jones met some of the Florida coaches in person for the first time during his visit.

“I’ve never met them in person, so I got to do that while I was here,” Jones said. “It was good to put a face to the name, and start building a relationship.”

Jones went on to say, “They want me to come back for another game, and build a relationship. I was with coach (Larry) Williams, coach (Cannon) Gibbs, talked with coach (Billy) Napier, and was around coach Mike P (Peterson). It was a good time around all them, and meet all of them for the first time. Good conversations.”

Jones says the Gators are among several of his other top schools on his list, but it’s still early to tell.

“They’re up there, but I got to come back for more visits. So I can actually get real comfortable with everyone and the school more,” Jones said about Florida.

Jones has other football program visits on his schedule such as the Texas Longhorns, Florida State Seminoles and Alabama Crimson Tide. But the five-star prospect did say that he wants to try and come back for another Florida game later this season.

“I got Texas for the Georgia game, I got Miami vs. Florida State, probably Alabama vs LSU, and I think I want to try and get to Oregon,” Jones said about his scheduled visits. “I want to try and get back for another Florida game later this season. Maybe the LSU game or something like that, but not sure just yet. I want to though.”

Up next for the Gators

Florida travels on the road to Knoxville to play the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday, Oct. 12. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN.

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2026 five-star edge prospect Anthony Jones includes Vols in top five

2026 five-star edge prospect Anthony Jones includes Tennessee in top five schools.

2026 edge prospect Anthony Jones has announced his top five schools.

Jones’ top five schools are Tennessee, Michigan, Arizona State, Washington and UCLA.

“Where’s home?” Jones said.

The 6-foot-3.5, 240-pound five-star running back is from St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Mobile, Alabama. He ranks as the No. 6 prospect in the class of 2026. Jones also ranks as the No. 1 edge defender and No. 1 prospect in Alabama, according to 247Sports.

The Vols offered Jones a scholarship on Feb. 27, 2023. Jones had scholarship offers from nine Southeastern Conference schools: Tennessee, LSU, Auburn, Florida, Ole Miss, Texas, Kentucky, Alabama and Georgia.

Auburn was the first to offer on Jan. 24, 2023.

Auburn hosting several top recruits for California game

As Auburn takes on California on Saturday, the Tigers will host some of the nation’s top recruits in the 2025 and 2026 classes at the game

Auburn football hosts the California Golden Bears on Saturday in the return game of a home-and-home series which saw the Tigers win the first matchup 14-10 in 2023.

Auburn home games have become a hot commodity for recruits to attend throughout the season, and this Saturday’s game is proving to be no different as head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is in the midst of many recruiting battles for both the classes of 2025 and 2026.

Two of the most notable recruits in attendance will be a Notre Dame quarterback commit [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag] and Tennessee wide receiver commit [autotag]Travis Smith[/autotag].

According to the On3 industry rankings, both players are rated as four-stars in the 2025 class, but the Tigers are doing whatever they can to try and flip these talented prospects. That is especially true for Knight as this his second straight week on the Plains.

2026 EDGE [autotag]Anthony Jones[/autotag] from St. Paul’s Episcopal (Ala.) will also be in attendance this weekend as the lone five-star of the group. He is ranked as the No. 7 player in his class while also being the No. 1 overall EDGE and player in the state of Alabama.

Amongst the other 2026 targets that will be there are four-stars in linebacker [autotag]Anthony Davis[/autotag], running back [autotag]Carsyn Baker[/autotag] and quarterback [autotag]Luke Fahey[/autotag].

Auburn’s 2025 recruiting class is currently ranked at No. 5 in the nation with an average class score of 92.14. The 2026 class is also on the rise, being No. 3 in the country with an rating of 92.79.

The Tigers hope that a win can help rise their status amongst some of these athletes and possibly earn a commitment in the near future.

Auburn’s game against Cal is set to kick off at 2:30 p.m. CST in Jordan-Hare Stadium and will be broadcast on ESPN2.

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Over 100 recruits will reportedly visit Texas A&M this weekend

The 2024 season opener will also serve as a huge recruiting weekend for Texas A&M

Ahead of Texas A&M’s 2024 season opener vs. Notre Dame this Saturday night, it has been reported by 247Sports’ Tom Loy that Mike Elko and his staff will host over 100 prospects in the 2025, 2026, and 2027 recruiting classes, including 2025 5-star wide receiver Jerome Myles.

While Myles’ name certainly sticks out as the most impressive, the 2026 visitors list will feature over 30-plus prospects out of Texas, headlined by 5-star athlete Brandon Arrington, one of the more electric and versatile prospects in the cycle. Here are the other notable 2026 visitors:

  • 4-star wide receiver Jalen Lott
  • 4-star safety Bralen Womack
  • 5-star Edge Anthony Jones
  • 5-star DL Lamar Brown
  • 4-star OT Felix Ojo
  • 4-star RB Javian Osborne
  • 4-star DL Jesse Ford
  • 4-star QB Helaman Casuga
  • 4-star WR Kaydon Finley

Looking ahead to the 2027 recruiting cycle, a couple of names stick out, including former Dallas Cowboys and future Hall of Fame TE Jason Witten’s son, 4-star safety Cooper Witten, is on the list, paired with explosive 4-star running back Landen Williams-Callis. Here are the other notable 2027 visitors:

  • 4-star OT Brian Swanson
  • 4-star CB Dhillon McGee
  • 4-star CB Duvay Williams
  • 4-star safety JayQuan Snell
  • 4-star Edge KJ Ford

No. 20 Texas A&M will host No. 7 Notre Dame on Saturday, August 31, at 6:30 p.m. CT, and the game will air on ABC.

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Auburn commits, targets clutter Prep Redzone’s top 2026 recruit rankings

Auburn has dominated the in-state recruiting game recently, and looks to continue its streak in 2026.

Auburn football has dominated the in-state recruiting scene lately and is in a prime position to continue the trend in 2026.

Prep Redzone recently updated their 2026 recruiting rankings for Alabama, and the list is cluttered with Auburn commits and prospects. [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and the Tigers claim two top-five recruits in the updated rankings and are in the running to land two more.

Auburn linebacker commit [autotag]Shadarius Toodle[/autotag] checks in at No. 5, one spot below fellow Auburn pledge [autotag]Hezekiah Harris[/autotag], an EDGE from Huntsville. Prep Redzone’s Cooper Morreale says that Harris, the state’s No. 1 defensive lineman, will play a key role in Mae Jemison High School’s defensive success this season.

Hezekiah Harris is a fantastic defensive lineman out of Mae Jemison that has been one of the top 5 prospects in our 2026 Rankings for a while now. Harris possesses a rare combination of size, athleticism, and exceptional pass-rushing skills that have made him an outstanding player on Mae Jemison’s defensive front. Harris is a constant threat to opposing quarterbacks with how well he rushes the passer. Every snap Harris rushes the passer he can consistently overwhelm and beat offensive linemen to generate pressure and take down the quarterback. Harris is also terrific against the run- he uses his size to eat up space, can easily shed blocks, and frequently takes down the ball carrier at or behind the line of scrimmage. With how well he’s played the last few years, Harris has become a highly recruited prospect and recently committed to Auburn earlier this summer. Be sure to watch out for Harris this fall, he and this Mae Jemison defense have the potential to be one of the top units in the state.

Auburn is also pursuing No. 3 [autotag]Cederian Morgan[/autotag] (WR, Alexander City) and No. 1 [autotag]Anthony Jones[/autotag] (LB, Mobile). Morgan is projected to sign with Auburn’s 2026 class while Alabama remains Auburn’s biggest threat to sign Jones. Morreale says that Jones is undoubtedly the best prospect the state has to offer from the 2026 class.

Anthony Jones is the #1 prospect in our 2026 Rankings and rightfully so, he’s been phenomenal for Saint Paul’s Episcopal’s defense over the last two years. Jones is a fantastic linebacker prospect that plays with a ton of athleticism, aggression, and physicality. Jones can do everything that his coaches ask of him- he’s a terrific pass rusher, can set the edge, attack the run, and is always around the ball impacting plays. It’s seriously impressive watching Jones’ effort on the field, he doesn’t give up on plays, has great pursuit, and consistently finds ways to disrupt offenses throughout all four quarters. Jones had himself a huge sophomore season last fall- he ended the year with 102 total tackles (10 for loss), 10 sacks, and 5 pass breakups on the season. With how well he’s played the last two years Jones has been highly recruited- he has picked up offers from Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, and more! Keep an eye on Jones this fall, he’s a heck of a talent and the number-one player in our 2026 class for a reason!

Four-star linebacker commit [autotag]Jamichael Garrett[/autotag] is another notable name within Prep Redzone’s rankings by checking in at No. 12.

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Auburn in the early running for 2026 EDGE Anthony Jones

Can Auburn keeps its 2026 momentum going by beating rival Alabama for the state’s top recruit?

Auburn football is always busy working on multiple facets of the program all year long. Whether that is game prep or recruiting, the Tigers continually try to make their mark in a competitive conference such as the SEC.

Auburn has made a statement in the recruiting game as of late and hopes to continue building that impression by landing more big names, such as that of 2026 five-star EDGE [autotag]Anthony Jones[/autotag].

The Tigers and in-state rival Alabama are currently in a heated battle to try and land the big man out of St. Paul’s Episcopal School (Ala.) as he can bring a lot to the table.

Auburn’s 2026 recruiting class is currently ranked No. 2 in the nation with an average class score of 92.79 according to its commitment list at On3.

With the amount of recruiting success that the Tigers have had as of late, landing Jones would be another huge moment. Jones is currently the No. 7 overall player and No. 2 EDGE in the nation, while also being the No. 1 player in the state of Alabama according to the On3 industry ranking.

Should Jones commit, he would be the second EDGE in Auburn’s class along with current No. 2 player in the state [autotag]Hezekiah Harris[/autotag].

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Penn State makes top schools list of four-star 2026 edge rusher

Penn State among the top schools on four-star edge rusher’s list for 2026.

Penn State has been active in the 2026 recruiting cycle, already securing six commitments that range from in-state prospects to those from multiple states around the country.

It’s an impressive showing for them so far, but they will continue to be active and try to build relationships through this fall that carries over into the all important spring period next year.

Defensive line coach [autotag]Deion Barnes[/autotag] emerged as a star on the recruiting trail in the 2025 class, and even though it took him a little while to get going and land some commitments, he still was able to get some of the best prospects on his board.

He wasted no time in the 2026 cycle, already landing four-star edge rusher [autotag]Daniel Jennings[/autotag].

Now, he got some good news regarding another target as [autotag]Anthony Jones[/autotag] included the Nittany Lions in his top schools list that also featured Michigan, Ohio State, Georgia, Tennessee, Washington, UCLA, Arizona State and California.

The four-star California native has been busy taking visits to schools around the country, narrowing his scope from the roughly 18 scholarship offers that he has received so far.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, he’s rated as a four-star prospect who is considered the 18th-best player at his position and No. 204 overall per On3’s Industry Ranking.

He has yet to visit Penn State, but wants to get to campus sometime this fall. According to Chad Simmons of On3, he plans on taking official visits during the spring and summer before announcing his commitment (subscription required).

Jones would be a major addition for the Nittany Lions, getting two four-star recruits in the same class to come off the edge.

Pair of new players get shout out from rush-ends coach Chad Wilt

A pair of new faces from the transfer portal are making an impact for the Spartans off the edge in fall camp

A pair of new faces from the transfer portal are making an impact for the Spartans off the edge in fall camp.

Michigan State rush-ends coach Chad Wilt met with the media earlier this week and paid some praise to a pair of transfer accusations from this offseason. Wilt highlighted the play of both Anthony Jones and Ty Gillison through the first few weeks of practice. Wilt especially called out their experience from previous stops as an important trait.

Jones previously played for Indiana while Gillison was at Cincinnati before coming to Michigan State.

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