Note: The following appears in the Charleston Southern football gameday program.
In January, cornerback Sheridan Jones announced that he would return for one more year with Clemson football to finish up some unresolved business.
Jones’ success on the field goes back to his high school career playing under Dyrri McCain at Maury High School. Throughout his four years, he collected an extensive list of achievements.
Jones was rated among the top-100 players in the nation by ESPN and Rivals, and he was the second-best player in the state of Virginia. His high school success landed him a selection to the World Bowl in Mexico and the Under Armour All-American Game.
“High school football was great. I got great coaching…Coach McCain was with me from my freshman to senior year. I got a lot of reps with a lot of good people, and it gave me a lot of experience.”
After his success in high school, Jones’ decision to take the next step at Clemson came easy to him.
“When they say something is different in these hills, it is very true. When I came on my visit, I felt something different in the air. The coaches and the team were so welcoming at all my visits, and it felt like I was on the team before I got here. Them being so open to me was a great opportunity.”
Jones has genuinely taken advantage of his time at Clemson the past four years, both on and off the field. He is a three-time ACC Academic Honor Roll member and earned a communication degree in August 2022. At the same time, he has shown success in football, as he entered 2023 with 83 tackles, nine pass breakups, two interceptions and a recovered fumble in 1,376 snaps over 48 games (21 starts).
While Jones has already accomplished so much at Clemson, he knew there was more left for him if he returned for his last season.
“It is another year of maximizing myself. I did not want to leave Clemson with a little bit left in the tank. I wanted to get to my full potential. The guys who I came in with, Ruke Orhorhoro, Jalyn Phillips and Tyler Davis, and many other players in that class of 2019 are still here working towards that final goal of a national championship. Every class since 2013 has won a national championship, so as a member of the class of 2019, we are working towards that.”
With big goals ahead for this season, being a veteran player has also allowed Jones to take on a leadership role among his teammates.
“I have a lot of guys looking up to me. We have three younger cornerbacks that look to me for knowledge and wisdom to lead them in the right direction on and off the field. I want to smell the roses all along the way and be the best I can.”
Jones credits his success as both an athlete and a person to his family. His brother, Kennedy, is a fellow student-athlete who played baseball at UNC Greensboro before transferring to South Carolina during the summer.
“My family means everything to me. I come from a small, tight family. I lost my father at the age of two, so it has just been me, my mom and my brothers, and they mean everything to me. My mom comes to every home game and almost every away game. She moved closer to me and my brother, so it is good that my family is always around whenever I need them.”
In addition to having a support system within his family, Jones also thrives from the relationships he has built with two of his teammates.
“Jalyn Phillips and Ruke Orhorhoro are my roommates…they are my guys. We talk about everything together. When one of us is down, we pick each other up. We feed off each other every day.”
Along with his roommates, he has found a home from everyone involved in the program.
“The Clemson Family means a lot to me. Coach (Mike) Reed is like a father figure out here. There is so much wisdom and love going around the football facility. There is never a dull moment on this team.”
As for his next steps, Jones has some big things ahead as he finishes his time as a Tiger.
“After Clemson, I plan to go to the league and do my due diligence there. I am a man who likes to do a lot of everything, so I might drop an R&B album, I might become a professional bowler, you might see me in a movie or a TV series…so a lot of motion.”
