Shaquille Jones Flips Commitment from Louisville to Georgia
Louisville has lost its grip on a valuable defensive back prospect two days before national signing day. Florida safety Shaquille Jones has flipped his commitment from the Cardinals to Georgia, according to a report by Athens Banner-Herald writer Marc Weiszer.
Jones took to twitter to share a photo declaring his commitment.
Jones, a 6'2", 175-pound prospect from Merritt Island High School, visited the Bulldogs during the first weekend of February. Merritt Island football coach and athletic director Jeff McLean reportedly said the experience was enough to alter Jones' collegiate intentions.
“From all indications I have, that’s where he’s going to go,” McLean told Weiszer. “I would say he’s committed.”
Jones, rated a two-star prospect in 247Sports' composite rankings, is a late riser in this recruiting cycle. After initially committing to South Alabama, he garnered January offers from Southern Miss and Louisville.
"He had a big senior season and schools noticed that," McLean told Scout.com writer Dean Legge.
Cardinals head coach Bobby Petrino received his pledge on Jan. 22. The commitment signified a key addition for newly hired defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, who left the same position at Georgia last month and received a pay raise at Louisville.
Jones followed his commitment with an official visit to Louisville. Apparently, he wasn't satisfied enough with what he encountered to turn down the chance to visit Athens.
After meeting with Mark Richt and a Georgia coaching staff that includes former Florida State defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt, Jones apparently changed the course of his recruitment process.
He is the 19th member of Georgia's 2014 class. Jones joins 4-star cornerback Malkom Parrish, fellow Florida safety Kendall Gant and in-state defensive back recruit Dominick Sanders as key additions to the Bulldogs' secondary.
The loss of Jones leaves Louisville with 18 players in its class. The Cardinals still hold a commitment from 3-star safety Michael Johnson, who is the team's highest-ranked defensive prospect according to 247Sports.
