FORT WALTON BEACH – From his outsized personality to his 6-foot-8, 335-pound frame, nearly everything about Choctaw graduate Terren Jones is big.
And so are his dreams.
Four years ago, Jones was a little-recruited behemoth of an offensive tackle coming out of Choctaw, sliding under the radar of big-name programs and going unnoticed as a recruit despite his size and ability. But that didn’t stop Jones. Instead, Jones followed his dream of continuing his football career and turned in an incredible four years at Alabama State in Montgomery, a tenure that included becoming the school’s first four-time All-SWAC performer and one that has landed him in a spot in the Raycom Collegiate All-Star Game in Montgomery, Ala. on Jan. 19.
But again, Jones isn’t stopping here.
Instead, the Fort Walton Beach native is doubling down on his football aspirations, following his dream of playing professional foot-ball as he begins preparations for the 2013 NFL Draft. Coming off a senior year where he earned recognition as an Associated Press First Team FCS All-American, Jones is looked upon by some draft experts as one of the top small-school players in the country.
For Jones, the chance to enter the NFL Draft conversation is just another chance to prove people wrong – and it’s a chance to keep playing the sport he loves.
“I remember when I was coming out of high school, I just wanted to make the most of this opportunity,” Jones said of landing a scholarship offer to Alabama State, where he started the final 42 games of his career. “Now, working out to try to get noticed by NFL scouts…It’s more of a business thing. I’m working out and I’m going to give it everything I’ve got.”
‘He’s a leader’
For those who knew him in high school, the success enjoyed at the next level by Jones to this point has been no surprise.
Jones played his senior season at Choctaw under current head coach Greg Thomas, who watched a sturdy, strong kid step up as one of the Indians’ most valuable assets in 2008.
“Terren was a leader from the first day I got here,” said Thomas. “When he finished up his senior year, I couldn’t understand why so many Division I schools weren’t giving him a look. A lot of teams really missed out on a good player and a good kid. I’ve been in coaching 25 years, and there are a handful of players that I thought were really overlooked, and he’s at the top of the list.”
The lists Jones finds himself on these days are much more prestigious.
Listed by NFLDraft.net as the top HBCU (Historically black colleges and universities) player in the country, Jones has turned heads with his dominating style of play in Montgomery. NFLDraftCentral.com projects the former Indian as a fourth-round pick in 2013, and other notable draft-related websites have Jones rated similarly.
To NFL scouts, finding a left tackle with the size and athleticism of Jones is rare – and coveted. Taking over at Alabama State five games into his freshman season, Jones was an anchor at left tackle for the Hornets, displaying the footwork and drive-blocking skills that are highly sought after in a league where that protection of quarterback is essential.
For Thomas, any escalating draft buzz surrounding Jones simply comes from hard work and the natural progression of Jones’s all-around game.
“Terren has always been a great pass protector,” said Thomas. “He’s got excellent feet for a guy his size, and he really uses his hands well. He’s got everything scouts are looking for.”
‘School is most important’
But, truth be told, football is only part of the Terren Jones story. When talking about the son of Donald and Dawn Jones, football almost comes secondary, especially to those who have watched the well-mannered middle school student blossom into a larger-than-life college football player. For Choctaw principal Cindy Gates, Jones is as valuable off the field as he is on it.
“I remember seeing him in middle school,” said Gates. “He was always a young man that other kids gravitated to. When you’ve got kids looking up to other kids, you know there’s something special going on. That’s the kind of person he is.
“When he walked into my office today, we didn’t talk about football. Even without football, Terren is still an outstanding person. But when he saw me, the first thing he said was that he was on track to graduate in May. That meant the world to me.”
For Jones, the transition to college life not only brought on a maturation process on the field, but also in the classroom. Since enrolling at Alabama State in 2009, the criminal justice major has placed great emphasis on academics, an emphasis that’s a major reason why he’ll return to school this spring instead of heading elsewhere for his NFL Draft training. Instead of hiring a personal trainer like a majority of prospects, Jones will return to Montgomery to work out with ASU coaches while he continues to pursue his degree.
“School is the most important thing to me,” said Jones. “I’m not going to stop when I’m this close to graduating just because I have a chance to work out for NFL scouts. I’m going to go back to Montgomery and get my degree. If football works out anyway, then that’s great. But if it doesn’t, then I’m going to be alright.”
For a player so close to realizing his dream, Jones is entering the draft process with remarkable clarity. If the NFL comes calling, he says he will be ready. If not, he’ll still be ready for anything.
“I love football, and I want to keep playing,” said Jones. “But if I have to move on and use my degree, then that’s what I’ll do.”
Staring across at Jones in Choctaw’s conference room table, Gates can’t suppress a smile. After, when she looks at the man Jones has become, she likely still sees the affable middle-schooler that made such an impression on her years ago.
“At that age, every little boy wants to be a professional football player,” said Gates. “But Terren is humble. He never wanted any-thing to be handed to him. He didn’t think he deserved anything just because he was an athlete. He worked for everything.
“And because he’s been such a dreamer, he’s going to get a shot. We couldn’t be happier for him.”