KISSIMMEE, Fla. | If UF-signee quarterback Emory Jones has his way, then Jacob Copeland will be the next star wide receiver to sign with the Gators.
Jones, a 6-foot-3, 196-pound dual-threat quarterback who ranks second in the nation at his position, said he has formed a tight relationship with Copeland since arriving at the 11th annual Under Armour All-American Game Week on Saturday, Dec. 30. The two hit it off immediately as evidenced by the duo working on some pitch-and-catch prior to the first day of practice on Sunday.
The early-morning workout paid off as Jones threw three touchdown passes to Copeland: two on post routes, and the other on a fly pattern. The duo then hooked up on a 40-yard bomb for a touchdown on Monday on a cold, rain-soaked day.
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“We have some (chemistry) in football, me and Copeland,” Jones said. “We have been talking for a long time … about two years. Like, even before I signed with Florida, we always (talked).”
Copeland, a speedy wideout from Pensacola Escambia, grinned from ear to ear after practice on Sunday when asked about Jones’ recruitment of him to UF. “Just kept telling me, ‘I got you,’” Copeland said.
Jones also has made pitches to other undeclared wideouts, including American Heritage speedster Anthony Schwartz, and Samuel Clemens High’s (Schertz, Texas) Tommy Bush. Bush and Copeland play with Jones on Team Highlight at Under Armour, while Schwartz is competing for Team Spotlight.
“We got real good chemistry there and stuff like that,” Jones said. “If they see how I throw (they can consider UF).”
Jones said things have been going well in practice, despite two bitter cold, overcast days on Monday and Tuesday. The Heard County High School (Franklin, Georgia) star has outperformed Dorian Thompson-Robinson, a UCLA commit, with a strong deep ball and accuracy in red-zone situations. However, Washington-signee Jacob Sirmon has given Jones a push in practice. Sirmon, however, appeared to have left practice with an injury on Monday.
“We’ve been looking pretty good in practice,” Jones said.
Jones wrapped up his third day of practice Tuesday by competing in the American Family Insurance Quarterback Pass Attack competition. Wearing a red, white and blue scarf across his face, he finished with 184 points and in sixth place. Quarterbacks threw eight balls at moving targets accumulating points for accuracy, and then tossed a long-distance throw.
“Oh, man,” Jones said with a grin. “I was kind of misjudging some of the targets, that’s it.”
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