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Former Sooner Ryan Jones Lands at ECU

After a promising start in 2018, Jones' playing time dropped off in 2019; in Greenville he hopes to switch to offense and play TE/WR

John E. Hoover

Ryan Jones against Army in 2018.
Ryan Jones against Army in 2018 / Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Former Oklahoma linebacker Ryan Jones has picked a place to land: East Carolina.

He announced his decision on Twitter Friday. Jones entered the transfer portal in January.

Jones is a graduate transfer and will have two years of eligibility at ECU, beginning in 2020.

As a third-year sophomore from Charlotte, N.C., Jones played in seven games for the Sooners last season after a promising redshirt freshman year in 2018.

The 6-foot-2, 231-pound Jones played in 11 games and made three starts under Mike Stoops and Ruffin McNeill, but had a more difficult time finding playing time last year under Alex Grinch.

His first career start came against Army in 2018, when he had a career-high eight tackles.

Jones came to OU as a four-star prospect by ESPN, Rivals and Scout, and a three-star prospect by 247 Sports. The versatile Jones was the No. 50 athlete in the country by 247 Sports and the No. 2 player in North Carolina by ESPN.

He chose OU over Clemson, Florida, North Carolina and others.

In an article published by 247 Sports, Jones was quoted as saying the Pirates and coach Mike Houston will give him an opportunity to play offense as a tight end/slot receiver.

As a high school junior at Mallard Creek High School, Jones caught 23 passes for 679 yards and seven touchdowns, and during his senior season he had 31 catches for 541 yards and seven TDs.

"The fact that it's back in my home state where my parents can come watch every game against just like it was in high school really made ECU a no-brainer for me," Jones said.

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John E. Hoover
JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.

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