Deerfield 2017 Wide Receiver Charlie Jones talks recruiting, offseason work at EFT Sports Performance and his team’s goals for this season. Very selfless kid and a great team player.

Cover Photo Credit: Varsityviews.com

Charlie Jones

Wide Receiver
Deerfield
Deerfield, IL

Ht: 6’0″
Wt: 170 lbs
Class: 2017

Commitment status: Undecided

Photo Credit: Varsityviews.com

LPI: What have you been doing to get ready for next season so you can improve?

CJ: All offseason, starting the week after last season ended, I have been in the weight room getting ready for this season. I have also been going to EFT Football Academy training trying to get bigger, faster, and stronger and I think it has really paid dividends so far.

LPI: Where have you camped/showcased at this summer?

CJ: I went to the Indiana, Minnesota, Purdue and Central Michigan satellite camp at College of DuPage, a Michigan camp and a Northwestern camp as well.

LPI: Which camps do you think you stood out the most at and why?

CJ: I think I stood out the most at the Michigan camp. A Michigan coach pulled me aside and had me do a bunch of testing with a small group of elite athletes. I always came in the top 3 for the speed drills and I caught every ball in the receiver drills. By the end of the camp the coaches knew my face and my name. I think it was a really positive experience overall.

LPI: Were you on any 7on7 teams this summer? If so, how did it go for you?

CJ: I played 7on7 for EFT Football Academy this summer and it was actually my 3rd year playing. Its really great getting out there in the offseason, running the routes and staying in shape to make sure I didn’t get rusty. Landon Cox and Kerry Neal were coaches at EFT that really helped me elevate my game. It was a great experience overall and a plus that I got to play with top tier talent such as Micah Jones, Henry Marchese, Cam Ruiz and Kendall Smith.

LPI: What schools have shown the most interest in you and what position of WR are they asking you to play?

CJ: Most schools want me playing at the slot position, while a few schools said it doesn’t matter and they will play me anywhere at the receiver position. The schools that have shown the most interested in me are Bowling Green and Indiana.

LPI: Where have you received offers from and what is your dream school?

CJ: Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, North Dakota State, Northern Illinois and Wyoming. My college dream school would be suiting up for Notre Dame. I grew up a huge Notre Dame fan and it’d be a dream come true to play there.

LPI: I’ve heard a lot of kids remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they got their first. Is that the case with you? How did you feel when you got that first offer and what does it mean to you to be able to play D1 college football?

CJ: I actually remember it very well. Our Deerfield basketball team was in the playoffs so we were doing a blackout in the student section. I went to a Party City to get some stuff for the blackout when I got a call from a coach from Wyoming. It was truly humbling to receive an offer to play D1 football and is something I’ll never forget.

LPI: Where have you visited most recently and do you have any visits coming up?

CJ: I don’t have any specific visits set yet as I’m trying to focus more on my team and this season because that matters most to me.

LPI: Your team finished finished last year at 6-3, but fell to a high powered offense in DeKalb in the 2nd round of the 6A playoffs. What are your individual and team goals for the upcoming season?

CJ: My team goal is pretty simple: to win every week. We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but we really try to take it one week at a time. Our ultimate goal is to win conference and then win a state championship.

Individual goals are to just play well this year, score more touchdowns and catch more passes than last year, but mostly just to contribute to my team so we can win ball games.

LPI: What are your greatest strengths or why should a school offer you?

CJ: My hands are my greatest strength. However, I also run crisp and precise routes and am always aware of where the ball is. I’m fast, (4.52 40), I have great body control and can easily adjust to the ball in the air, and I’m very physical against defenders.