Kody Jones, Wolverine

 

Kody Jones (image via 247 Sports)

Germantown (TN) Germantown safety Kody Jones committed to Michigan on Friday. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Auburn, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Penn State, and Tennessee, among others.

Jones is 5'11" and 180 lbs.

RANKINGS
ESPN: 4-star, 81 grade, #22 ATH, #280 overall
Rivals: 4-star, 5.8 grade, #13 S
247 Sports: 4-star, 90 grade, #19 ATH

Hit the jump for more on his commitment.

Much like fellow Tennessean Taylor Groves, Jones also was not offered until Michigan's new defensive staff came on board. Co-defensive coordinator Mo Linguist offered Jones right after getting hired - before the hiring was even announced - and Jones pledged to the Wolverines within a couple weeks. Already having been courted by numerous Power Five schools, it's a little surprising that he picked Michigan on such short notice and without having visited Ann Arbor.

Jones's highlights come from his sophomore year, so his growth since then can't really be assessed. To me he looks like a nickel corner in the mold of former Michigan cornerback Blake Countess (who played well at Michigan before transferring and playing safety at Auburn and then in the NFL). He's compact and packs a punch, with very good change-of-direction skills and good top-end speed.

On the negative side, Jones is perhaps a little lacking in ball skills. He's great with the ball in his hands, but his hand-eye coordination is sometimes a little lacking. He also needs to improve his tracking of the ball in the air. Of course, these things could have improved since his sophomore year of high school, but without junior film, it's hard to tell.

Overall, I like Jones and think he could be an early contributor at the next level. He could be a nickel corner or a safety, or even play outside corner in a pinch. Physically, he looks ready to play so it should just be a matter of mental preparedness and what the depth chart looks like when he arrives.

Michigan now has six commitments in the 2022 class.

TTB Rating: I will not assign a TTB Rating until I wrap up the 2021 class.