Interview: NFL Draft Next for All-SEC OT Emery Jones Jr.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – In all sports, with a little bit of luck and a whole lot of hard work, dreams come true. For the ambitious players, there are goals to set at every turn providing daily motivation to keep grinding. Pushing his talents forward, Emery Jones Jr. crafted his skillset from a four-star offensive tackle at Catholic High School (Baton Rouge, LA) to an All-SEC performer in college. That next step – 2025 NFL Draft pick.
Talk about setting high level goals; what Jones (6-5, 31) accomplished in college rarely happens. As a true freshman, Jones appeared in 14 LSU games starting 12. Selected by SEC coaches, Jones was a two-time All-SEC second team (2023-24) performer.
Asked about his LSU playing experience, Jones replied: “It was amazing. A dream come true for sure. I got to play with a lot of good guys. I was coached by a lot of great coaches, and I had the whole LSU fanbase behind me; it was a great experience.”
In the trenches with the big uglies, Jones knows what he does best.
“My physicality,” Jones stated. “I feel like when I am in the run game, I play really physical, and I play to the end of the whistle. The effort that I give on the football field, I feel that really shows.”
Declaring for the NFL Draft at the end of his junior season, Jones was locked in preparing for the combine.
“I’m just trying to eat right and do the little things,” Jones said. “I’ve been working out hard, obviously. I’ve been doing all the little things right. I have a great group of guys here who are also here to work, that is making it easier for me.”
The next career milestone is the draft.
“It will be a dream come true,” Jones shared. “It is a milestone that I’ve wanted to hit as a kid. All the little kids playing football, I feel that I can be that example. A little kid from Baton Rouge, just stay consistent with it. Stay consistent with the work, and you have to love it. I feel once you have all the little things in your mix it is possible.”
When Jones’ NFL rookie cards come out, he knows what he will do with his.
“I will pass mine to my little nephews,” Jones stated. “They are trying to get into football now. They see me doing it, that is kind of motivating them a little bit. I will definitely pass the cards out to them for motivation.”
Being selected in the 2025 draft will be joyous for Jones, but the mindset is focused on surpassing personal goals at the next level.
“The first moment for me, I will be ready to get to work,” Jones said. “I will have a lot to do once I get there. I’m not going to let anything stop me. I will put in the work that I need to do to be successful wherever I land.”
At the conclusion of the 2025 NFL Combine, Jones athleticism score was top 10 among all offensive tackles.
Photo credit: Beckett/Ryan Wright
