Coach’s take: What Miami is getting in 4-star DL Artavius Jones “Artavius is blessed with a skill set that normally skill-position kids only have”
Blountstown, Fla., has a population of less than 2,500 people, so when a Power Five recruit emerges from there, they’re exceptional, according to Blountstown High School head coach Greg Jordan. Recent Miami Hurricanes commitment Artavius Jones certainly fits that description, per Jordan.
“We don’t have Power Five kids every year at our school, but when they come through, they’re special, and they help us win football games,” Jordan told CaneSport. “Artavius is blessed with a skill set that normally your skill-position kids only have, but he weighs 300 pounds. He plays defensive line and tight end for us because he’s basically another tackle on the field that can run and catch the ball.”
Jones has developed into a top-175 talent in the 2024 class despite only playing defensive line for one year. According to the On3 Industry Ranking, Jones is the No.166 overall prospect in the country, the No. 21 defensive lineman, and the No. 24 recruit in Florida.
Analysis: Miami adds biggest DL recruit of last two cycles in 4-star Artavius Jones
“The biggest thing with Artavius is that he’s just so raw, and his upside is through the ceiling,” Jordan said. “Last spring was the first time he had put his hand in the dirt on the defensive side of the ball. With the size and the skillset that he has, when he locks in a position and works on the technique and the finer points of the position, he’s going to be phenomenal.”
During his junior season, Jones continued to grow into his 6-foot-4, 310-pound frame, which allowed Jordan to utilize the Hurricane commit in a variety of different ways. Last season, Jones finished the year with 58 tackles, 14 TFLs, 3 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 interception according to MaxPreps.
“He played nose, four technique, and defensive tackle, and we moved him around some more to try and find a natural fit for him,” Jordan said. “By the end of the season in the state semifinals game, he was back at his zero nose position over the center, and he was pretty much unblockable. Played as hard and good as he did all year long for 48 minutes. He played offense and defense for us because, for a school with our size, our best players will play both ways. This kid is playing 100+ snaps right now. When he gets to college and they zero him in on the defensive side, he’ll continue to get better and better and be a real explosive kid.”
Once Jones does arrive in Miami, Jordan believes he will be most effective and productive playing on the interior of the defensive line for the Hurricanes.
“He’s about 310 right now, so I think he’ll be an interior guy,” Jordan said. “He’s a 4.8 40-yard dash kid at 300 pounds who can dunk a basketball. He can get down 285 and be a heck of an edge rusher, but he’s going to be 310 playing high school football, so he’ll probably be an interior guy just because of his size, but the athleticism he brings can allow him to play anywhere on the defensive line. Once he zeroes in, he’ll bring a lot to the table for the University of Miami.”
The post Coach’s take: What Miami is getting in 4-star DL Artavius Jones “Artavius is blessed with a skill set that normally skill-position kids only have” appeared first on On3.
