JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Mandarin’s Tramell Jones joined the short list among the top high school quarterbacks in area history with one very exclusive honor on Friday.
Jones, a rising senior, was named to the prestigious Elite 11. The All-News4JAX first-team selection becomes just the sixth player in area history to garner the recognition. It’s the first time that the area has produced Elite 11s in consecutive years. Trinity Christian star Colin Hurley made it last season.
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Jones made the cut after three days of competition in Los Angeles. It didn’t list finishing order, but 247 Sports said that Jones finished sixth. Recruiting site On3 labeled Jones the player with the smoothest release.
Jones has passed for 6,758 yards and 70 touchdowns in three seasons at Mandarin. He led the Mustangs to the Class 4M state championship game last season. There’s a very good shot that he could pass former Nease star Tim Tebow’s career passing numbers this season. Tebow passed for 9,940 yards and 95 TDs in three seasons at Nease (2003-05).
Jones qualified for the Elite 11 through regional competition and was one of the 20 finalists to earn an invite to the blue chip event. Duncanville, Texas four-star Keelon Russell, an Alabama commit, was named the Elite 11 MVP.
Only five players before Jones have made the cut to the final 11. Nease’s Tebow (2005), Bartram Trail’s Kyle Parker (2007), Mandarin’s Carson Beck, Sandalwood’s Jeff Sims (both 2019) and Trinity Christian’s Hurley (2023) have made the Elite 11. Other area players (Mac Jones of Bolles, Bartram Trail’s Joey Gatewood, Providence’s Carter Bradley, Camden County’s Brice Ramsey, First Coast’s De’Andre Johnson, Nease’s Marcus Stokes) have competed in the finals but didn’t make the final 11.
Eight Elite 11 players — Matt Leinart, Kyler Murray, Troy Smith, Tebow, Caleb Williams, Jameis Winston, Bryce Young and Jayden Daniels — have gone on to win the Heisman Trophy.