Another one!
The No.1 ranked junior college quarterback in the nation has committed to Mississippi Valley State University, Black Enterprise reports.
The tides are changing and there has been a push to get more Black student-athletes to commit to and attend HBCUs. While the change has been a long time coming, it looks like it’s finally starting to catch on as Jamari Jones, the No. 1 ranked junior college quarterback in the country, has just committed to attend Mississippi Valley State, an HBCU.
His decision comes on the heels of several other high profile athletes committing to HBCUs in recent years including Shaq’s youngest son, Shaqir O’Neal, five-star athlete Makur Maker, and most recently Travis Hunter, the No.1 ranked high school football player who committed to Deion Sanders’ Jackson State University.
Jones said he was inspired by Sanders and wanted to follow his lead, saying in a Facebook post: “Don’t ask me why Valley, just watch this… Like Deion said, let’s level the playing field.”
This past season, Jones played for East Mississippi Community College, rated a three-star prospect after passing for 2,728 yards and 33 touchdowns. He now becomes one of 16 athletes who recently committed to Mississippi Valley under the direction of coach Vincent Dancy. Each player announced their commitment during the early signing period last week alongside Jones.
Blessed to recieve an offer from Mississippi Valley State University ❤️ pic.twitter.com/irRAC7ubX5
— Jamari Jones™ (@JamariJones_9) December 8, 2021
The school had a season record of 4-7, not the best overall but their best season on record since 2012. Dancy and his staff have been working overtime to recruit star players that can add value to the team, specifically during the early signing period. His strategy seems to be working in his favor.
“We just want to recruit kids that want to be at Mississippi Valley State. At the end of the day, we got a bunch of young men that’s out there looking for a home. And I think Mississippi Valley is a great home for a lot of young men if they really want to play football,” said Dancy.
Congratulations, Jamari!
Photo Courtesy of Jamari Jones/Twitter