Rivals250 DE opens things up

For several weeks, Stone Mountain (Ga.) Stephenson strongside defensive end Jarontay Jones listed Auburn and Florida as his co-leaders.

Tuesday night, he claimed that no longer was the case.

"I'm opening things back up," Jones told Rivals.com.

The reason?

"I've just gotten so much love from everywhere," Jones said. "Since spring [practice] started, all the schools that came out have showed me love, and I just wanted to visit those places and give them a chance. It made me open things back up and re-evaluate all my options. I want to take visits and see which school is best for me."

Jones, who checks in at No. 192 in the Rivals250, already has started lining up visits.

"I'm going to start sometime this summer," he said. "I'm trying to go to a lot of places. Definitely Clemson, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Michigan … and I'm going to go back to Florida and Auburn. There may be some more places, but I'm definitely taking those first. All those schools I named are the top schools."

Before re-evaluating things, Jones said he actually came close to making a commitment awhile back. When asked whether it was Auburn or Florida whom he almost picked, Jones chuckled and replied, "Both."

The Tigers and Gators remain very much in the picture, Jones said. Auburn already has been by Stephenson twice for spring practice. According to Jones, Florida has not, but he expects the Gators to come around soon.

"I'd say Clemson and North Carolina are probably the biggest threats [to Auburn and Florida]," Jones said.