Nate Jones Earns Verizon Academic All-America Football Honors
Dec 03 | Football
Jones started at cornerback for the Scarlet Knights in all 12 games in 2002, and was the team's third leading tackler with 81 stops, including 54 solos. The 5-10, 175-pound resident of Scotch Plains, NJ, also intercepted two passes, blocked two kicks and recovered two fumbles. He earned BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Week honors twice during the season as well.
A finance major with a 3.73 GPA, Jones leads the BIG EAST Conference and is No. 6 nationally in kickoff returns, averaging 28.3 yards per return. Jones has a pair of 100-yard kickoff returns for touchdowns this season, coming against Tennessee and Syracuse.
Jones is one of three BIG EAST players to earn Academic All-America honors, joining First Team selections Matt Walters of Miami and Vince Crochunis of Pittsburgh.
Jones is also the second Academic All-American in Rutgers football history, joining Steve Tardy, who was a second team pick in 1989.
