All-SEC, All-American, Paul Hornung Award
As a USC Trojans graduate transfer fifth-year senior reuniting with wide receivers coach Tee Martin, the guy recruited him out of Saraland High School in Alabama, Velus Jones Jr. brings a lot to the table for Tennessee football. Jeremy Pruitt and Jim Chaney are looking for a speedy slot guy, and Jones could provide that immediately. However, they also need another return specialist.
A major advantage for the Vols the past few years has been Marquez Callaway as a punt returner. However, he is gone now, and UT hasn’t had a proven kick returner since Evan Berry, although Ty Chandler has run one back for a touchdown. Anyway, enter Velus Jones Jr., who specializes in being an elite kick returner and was a rising star in Southern California doing just that.
Last year, Jones had over 700 kickoff return yards, averaged 24.3 yards per return and ran one back for a touchdown. At 6’0″ 200 pounds, his best year in the slot was 2018, the last year Martin was there, when he caught 24 passes for 266 yards and had a total of 279 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns.
Because of his ability to be both an elite slot receiver and an elite returner, Jones has multiple paths to earning postseason honors. Doing both will give him a chance to earn All-SEC and All-American honors, particularly as a returner. He won’t earn any receiver awards, but he’s already on the the Paul Hornung Award watch list, which is given to the nation’s most versatile athlete.