ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, April 15, 1997 TAG: 9704150084
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY THE ROANOKE TIMES
An 11-week wait pays off for Virginia, which adds a 6-foot-7, 305-pound lineman who might play next year, Jermese Jones of Durham, N.C.
Virginia football coach George Welsh has talked about the opportunity for a freshman offensive lineman to play for the Cavaliers in the fall and, as of today, he has a promising candidate.
Jermese Jones, a 6-foot-7, 305-pound offensive and defensive tackle, said Monday that he has committed to UVa and may sign grant-in-aid papers as early as today.
Jones was an all-state selection at Hillside High School in Durham, N.C., and was rated the No.51 prospect in the country by recruiting analyst Tom Lemming. He has been invited to play in the All-America Bowl on July 5 in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Jones said he had been leaning to Virginia for several weeks, but did not learn until Sunday that he had been accepted. He scored over 1,000 on the Scholastic Assessment Test, but UVa wanted to review his grades.
Jones' decision comes too late for him to sign a binding letter of intent, but he said he is 100 percent certain he will join the Cavaliers. He took recruiting visits to UVa, East Carolina and N.C. State.
``When I went up for my visit, I liked everything surrounding the place - the facilities, the players, the coaches,'' said Jones, whose host on his Virginia visit was Tony Dingle, a defensive lineman from Fayetteville, N.C.
Jones said his preference would be to play offense at Virginia, although his speed for 40 yards (4.9) is good for a player his size. He finished third in the state indoor track meet in the shot put and has a best toss of 51 feet, 11 1/2 inches.
Jones' commitment comes almost 11 weeks after the signing date, Feb.5. He is the 22nd player to sign with or commit to UVa.
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