« Football 2016

Zay Jones

School
East Carolina University
Position
Wide Receiver
Major
Communications

Classroom

Zay Jones is a 2016 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Nominee, six-time ECU Director of Athletics Honor Roll, four-time dean’s list honoree and Capital One Academic All-District First Team selection. He also is a two-time American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team and one-time Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll member.

Character

Jones is very personable, polished and a gifted performer who is poised for honors candidacy on both the conference and national levels as a senior. He has been named team co-captain by his peers and won the 2014 Rock Roggeman Heart-of-the-Pirate Award, which symbolizes the most inspirational player. Jones has served as co-master of ceremonies for the 2015 ECU Goldspy’s (an annual awards presentation and ceremony emulating the ESPYs) and starred in an athletics department promotional video in 2016 entitled Can’t Stop the Feeling of Pirate Pride!

Community

Jones has devoted nearly 75 hours over the last three years to various community service organizations and projects. In the past year he has worked with Aces for Autism, Sport Works Ministries, Athletic Trash Pick Up, Ronald McDonald House, Maynard Children Hospital, Dwayne Harris Football Camp, ECU Ladies Football Clinic, Blood Drives, National Food Bank and local elementary schools totaling over 23 hours.

Competition

Jones has been named to the Fred Biletnikoff Award and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award watch lists twice and was a second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2015. He also was the East Carolina 2015 Team MVP, 2014 Phil Steele Magazine Midseason All-American Athletic Conference First Team selection, Conference USA All-Freshman Team honoree and the ECU Player of the Year in 2013. As of nomination time, Jones had played in more than 38 games with 29 starts and opened his senior season standing third on ECU’s career receptions (241) and reception yards (2,533) lists. He is one of only three East Carolina receivers with more than 2,000 reception yards and ranks sixth all-time in touchdown catches with 15.

Jones brought an active streak of at least one reception in 35-straight games going into the start of the 2016 season. Through mid-September, he has caught multiple passes in 37 contests, reached double-digit reception figures eight times and posted triple-digit receiving yard totals on 10 occasions. Jones has had 30 receptions that have exceeded 20 yards and racked up 100 or more all-purpose yards in 16 games. He also has returned 29 kickoffs for 598 yards and completed two-of-three passes for 34 yards. Jones owns starts in the Beef O’Brady Bowl and Birmingham Bowl.