Crimson Tide Coaches Create Connection with Cayden Jones

Strong relationships with the Crimson Tide coaching staff ensured linebacker Cayden Jones felt comfortable in his college commitment.

Cayden Jones entered his sophomore year of high school and found himself earning attention from colleges wanting his services on the football field. 

The Tennessee Volunteers, Charlotte 49ers, South Carolina Gamecocks and others started to show interest, but there was one offer Jones was holding out for. The University of Alabama.

Jones, a 2024 four-star linebacker out of Arden, N.C. is considered a top-five player in the Tar Heel State and told "The Joe Gaither Show on BamaCentral" on Tuesday that one of his goals was to earn a scholarship offer from the Crimson Tide.

In January 2023 the moment came to fruition and Jones was extended an offer from Alabama, but that didn't seal the deal in the Tide's favor.

"It was more my second visit when I met Coach Bala. That was a really big selling point. Coach Bala's a great guy and a great coach and I really, really love his energy. He's a high energy guy on and off the field and he just loves ball," said Jones on Tuesday. "That was a really, really good selling point. I want someone who's going to help me grow on and off the field and I feel like he'll do a great job with that."

The connections that Jones made in a short-time after receiving his offer gave him and his family enough comfort to shut down his recruiting process and roll with the Tide.

"I really like Coach Steele, I really like him. He kind of reminds me of hard-nose defense. I think we're going to bring back the domination of our linebackers in the inside and I think we're going to be playing hard, going to play fast. You're going to see people running across the field. We're going to be aggressive, I'm excited." 

Jones was the Tide's sixth commitment in the 2024 class and is the only inside backer in the class currently. 

See Also:

Alabama Football Commit Cayden Jones on The Joe Gaither Show: Episode 32, July 4, 2023

2023 Alabama Football Early Opponent Preview | Game 4: Ole Miss

Alabama Adds Tenth Prospect to 2024 Class in Four-Star Florida Cornerback