6’0″ 200 pounds; Hometown: Saraland, Ala.
With Josh Palmer now in the NFL and Brandon Johnson having transferred, ironically, to the UCF Knights, where Josh Heupel just came from, Velus Jones Jr. already figured to be Tennessee football’s top receiver. Jones emerged late last year but finished 22 receptions for 280 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 22.1 yards a kickoff return on 18 returns.
Still, the USC Trojans transfer had a lot of competition entering the spring, including the arrival fo Walker Merrill and Andison Coby along with the expected development of Jalin Hyatt, Ramel Keyton, Malachi Wideman and Jimmy Calloway. Well, the graduate of Saraland High School Alabama’s Mobile County proved he’s still the top overall producer.
Jones was among three receivers specifically mentioned by Josh Heupel as standouts in the spring, and that matters. Heupel touted his leadership as much as anything else, and anybody who has watched him play knows that he has the athleticism to play in the system.
Then there is the production that everybody saw. Playing for both sides in the Orange and White game, Jones finished with three catches for 86 yards and a touchdown. Simply put, he didn’t lose any ground in spring ball, and that alone makes him a big winner.