Jeremiah Jones is a senior at Murray High School and is one of the best football players in Kentucky. He is ranked as the fifth-best player in the state by 247 Sports, as well as the 23rd best player in the country who plays multiple positions.
His ability to play on both sides of the ball made him a powerhouse in high school and made his stats jump off the page. Not only did he finish with over 1,000 receiving yards in his senior season, but he was also top 20 in the state of Kentucky in sacks with 11.
This outstanding play in his senior season led to him being named a four-star recruit and finally committing to play at Nebraska next fall.
“God led me there,” Jones said, “Also the off-the-field connections, that’s just where I was led, honestly.”
Not only did he have a great senior year, but he also led the team in tackles in his sophomore season with an impressive total of 97. Jones doesn’t take all of the credit for his success, as he thanks his coaches for all they have done for him, specifically Murray High football Head Coach Melvin Cunningham.
“That’s my right-hand man, he’s done a lot for me. He’s one of the reasons I am where I am today,” Jones said. “He believed in me, kept me driven, and kept me on the right path to success.”
Jones was a multi-sport athlete until his senior year, playing both football and basketball. Former Murray High basketball Head Coach Dior Curtis is another figure that Jones points to for his growth.
“Since I was little, even before I got to high school, he’s been pushing me, helping me get ready for big moments. So he’s a big part of my life too,” Jones said.
But following his junior year, Curtis left to become the head coach of Christian County. As a result, Jones decided to focus solely on his future on the gridiron and quit basketball early in his senior season, which he says was a hard decision.
“There was a new staff, so it really wasn’t anything I expected,” Jones said. “It was a hard decision because I had played basketball pretty much all my life. I’m definitely gonna miss it, but I’m on to better things.”
But in the end, he feels that he made the right decision for his future, as it’s not every day that you see a four-star recruit come out of a small town like Murray. Jones drew attention from colleges, earning six college offers. Murray State, Missouri, Louisville, Eastern Kentucky, Florida State, and Nebraska made offers, and he chose the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Dec. 4, 2024.
With the number of teams that were recruiting Jones, he said it was a tough decision, only being a high school senior. He talked a bit about some of the coaches and other people that drew him away from his home state of Kentucky, such as Nebraska Head Coach Matt Rhule
“Getting to go meet and talk to coach Rhule and learn his intentions for me… I really believed in their plan for me,” Jones said.
Nebraska used to be a powerhouse under Tom Osborne, winning three of their five national championships with him. But now, things aren’t as successful, as they had a 7-6 overall record this past season with a 3-6 record in Big Ten conference games. Jones is looking to help Nebraska get back to its former success when they were still in the Big 12 until 2011.
“I want to win a Big Ten championship, I know we can do that,” Jones said, “My goal is to make people bear witness to my skill, keep my head down on the field and leave my mark in any way possible.”
When Jones makes his way to the University of Nebraska in the fall, he will be looking to prove that big things can be done by a kid from a small town in western Kentucky.
