Update: According to a police report first obtained by the Tampa Bay Times, freshman quarterback Jalon Jones was accused of sexual battery last month. The Gainesville Sun provided more details about the incident, which actually involves separate claims from two female Florida students in the same night.
According to the report, Jones and fellow freshmen Jaydon Hill and Chris Steele were at an on-campus residence with the two women on April 6. Jones and one of the women allegedly went to a bedroom and proceeded to have consensual sex. After the two other players entered and quickly left the room, the alleged victim told Jones to stop numerous times. When he did not, she was able to force him off of her. Later that night, the other woman at the residence became upset with a disagreement from earlier in the evening. After briefly consoling the second woman, Jones sexually assaulted her in the kitchen. The two women had rape kits completed at a local hospital, but both declined to press charges.
"We are aware of the incident reports and have followed athletic department and campus protocols," said Florida spokesman Steve McClain, according to the report.
The Gators' spring game was seven days later. Jones played briefly in the second half.
Original story (April 30)
Florida quarterback Jalon Jones signed with Florida and enrolled in January 2019 in the hopes of competing for the starting job after Feleipe Franks moves on. It turns out that his stay in Gainesville lasted all of 15 practices, as Matt Zenitz of AL.com reported Tuesday that Jones has entered the NCAA transfer portal following the conclusion of spring practice.
A four-star prospect out of Richmond, Virginia, Jones was the 10th-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the class of 2019 and one of six four-star recruits signed by coach Dan Mullen during the 2019 recruiting cycle.
Jones played sparingly in the Florida spring game earlier this month, racking up 63 rushing yards and one touchdown. Included in that were runs of 34 and 25 yards before he capped a drive off with a four-yard touchdown run. Following the early national signing day last December, Jones detailed what Florida meant to him.
"It's Florida. I grew up watching Florida, watching Tim Tebow win the Heisman and going to the national championship, he said, according to Florida's official site. "Watching him play the game, really, made me fall in love with football and made me realize this is something I really wanted to do.' "That was my ah-ha moment: I want to do what Tim Tebow is doing. I want to be that guy for that campus, for the city, for the state, and just be that type of player. I knew the best place I could do that is Florida. My goal is to put another statue in front of the stadium."
Florida's quarterback room hasn't changed since Jones signed on the dotted line. Franks will enter his junior season as the unquestioned leader at the top of the depth chart after closing last season strong, fellow junior Kyle Trask has played sparingly but knows the ropes after spending three years in the system and redshirt freshman Emory Jones was one of the centerpieces of Mullen's first recruiting class in 2018.
There will be no shortage of suiters for Jones' services based on his ability to make plays with his arms and legs.
