101 Days of BC Football: Bryce Jones, #17

Another day, and another Boston College recruit with ties to both sides of the football. Unlike some recent features, however, this one is not a walk-on. Say hello to Bryce Jones, Eagle newcomer.

Jones comes to Boston from the Cleveland area in University Heights, Ohio, where he played high school ball for Cleveland Heights High School. While with the Tigers, Jones was his league’s Most Valuable Player in 2011, netting 19 touchdowns as a dual-threat quarterback (12 passing, 7 rushing) and over 1700 all-purpose yards. He also took charge on the defensive side, registering 27 tackles and picking off two passes as a corner. Under Jones’s leadership, Cleveland Heights won the league title on his way out. In previous seasons, Jones had also split out as a wide receiver.

Jones came out of high school as a two-star recruit. Boston College was his only BCS-conference offer; the other teams that did so were UMass, Army, Northern Illinois, and Air Force. This likely made Jones’s choice quite simple.

He stands at six feet tall but is only 170 pounds, meaning this is one lean kid we’re bringing in. It goes without saying that Jones is one of the lightest guys on the team at present, but some weight room time will add some bulk. Jones is unsurprisingly listed as a defensive back on this roster, as there’s no need whatsoever for more quarterbacks and the wide receiver corps is likewise stocked. Given how depth is spotty in certain areas in the BC defensive backfield, I would think that if you’re a true freshman and you’re listed as a DB, there’s at least a marginal chance your redshirt will get burnt. Several went up in flames on defense last year, so it’s not out of the question in this case.