"I was going to commit yesterday, but it was Easter so I called the coaches this morning and made my commitment," said Phelon Jones from Mobile, (Ala.). "I wanted to commit this weekend during my visit, but my parents wanted to talk it over. They were satisfied with Miami, and they knew that is where I wanted to go. They told me to commit if I wanted to, and I did."
"I spoke to coach [Larry] Coker and coach [Tim] Walton this morning. They were happy, and they were making sure I wasn't going to take anymore visits. I told them I wasn't going to. They are going to send me information on sports management because that is what I plan to major in, and they told me to get ready to come there to play."
The 6-1, 190-pound standout athlete has always dreamed of playing for the Hurricanes. It was only a matter of time before he made his verbal commitment once an offer was extended by the coaching staff.
"Everything fell into place for me," Jones said. "I have always liked them growing up. When the recruiting process began I was always leaning towards Miami. I wanted to get my parents down there for them to check-out everything. I really wanted my mom to talk to the coaches, and she was excited after the visit."
Jones is an excellent track star, and Miami is gaining a two-sport athlete.
"I am going to be playing cornerback," he said. "I really like the way the defense plays. Coach Walton told me I was coming in to play. He recruits players to come play in his nickel defense. He said they will use a lot of defensive backs."
And, as no surprise Jones added, "I am doing both football and track at Miami. I spoke to one of the track coaches during my visit. I am excited about the opportunity."
Head coach Larry Coker and defensive backs coach Tim Walton spent a lot of time with their first Alabama commitment during his weekend visit.
"I really like coach Walton a lot," Jones said. "I spent a lot of time with him. He was the one who toured me around the campus. He is real cool and down to earth."
"Coach Coker was a real good guy too. He talked to my parents the whole time while I was in the defensive meeting. He was very supportive of the Miami program. I always grew up watching Miami, and I knew what kind of guy he was. I was real excited to meet him."
Jones originally planned to take all his official visits before making a verbal commitment, but stated, "I am solidly committed to Miami. It feels real good to have my commitment over with. I don't have to worry about anything. I don't have to go
to any camps this summer. I can focus on my senior season. It feels really good."
"I chose Miami over Texas, Georgia, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Alabama and Auburn. All those schools had offered. I had 20 scholarship offers."
Tony Jones, Phelon's father, was extremely excited about his son's verbal commitment as he spoke briefly with Scout.com.
"Phelon's mother and I almost put the brakes on Miami because of things that have happened down there in the past," Jones said. "When we went down there we got a whole different perspective of Miami."
"We liked the in-state schools, but they had 11 players graduate. That was more than any other school. We understand what commitment means, and we don't plan
to visit anywhere else."
"The coaches said Phelon was the first ever player taken from the state of Alabama. They can usually get defensive backs in the state of Florida, but they really liked Phelon. They said he had quick feet and good hands. The coaches said they felt like Phelon was the best cornerback in the country."
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