Four-star offensive tackle Johnnie Jones Jr. was one of six 2026 prospects on official visits this weekend. And while Jones was impressed with what he saw and learned from FSU's revamped coaching staff entering Mike Norvell's sixth season in Tallahassee, he tells the Osceola he will be very deliberate in his decision-making process, which will ultimately end with a commitment to one of eight schools in late June or early July.
"I just wanted to see a change in the staff, to see what their goal was, and the goal is different for the team, it is more where they are going to run the ball," explained Jones of what he learned on his visit. "I like that. It's just different, last year they were 2-10, but just being with the players and coaches, it's all a different mindset of we're going past that year. We're going to go back to who we usually are, and that's winning games."
Jones also elaborated on his relationship with FSU offensive line coach Herb Hand.
"With Coach Hand it's great," said Jones of the pair's relationship. "We've been talking for the past year, consistently, like almost every day. And then with him coming here, it kind of went more to that of trying to get me to come up here more often, even though it's a little far, but I'll come up here more often. And with Coach Hand, he's had tackles who started as freshmen, and they've been good and now they're playing in the league. Just seeing someone who's able to teach and develop the players that have my similar ability, to have them in the league playing."
The Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep product also wanted to see if he got a feeling of family while being surrounded by the FSU coaching staff and some of its current players. He was not disappointed.
"Yeah, I did," answered Jone when asked if he got a sense of family inside the program. "I was with some players. It was great, honesty is the best thing for me, and I was asking questions, and they were just being straight up, and I appreciate that."
He also gave some insight on his conversations with head coach Mike Norvell.
"I've been talking to Coach Norvell for a long time, and we don't like have the basic talk about why he wanted me to come here," said Jones. "We just check in and see how I am doing. And with Coach, we're almost like the same person. We both have great energy, and we want the best for the people that are around us, and with Coach Norvell and myself, there's almost a connection where it's not just about football when we talk. So that's great."
Jones narrowed his list of potential college homes to six schools in late April. He has now already taken official visits to four of those schools: Colorado, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Florida State. He will take on official visit to Penn State this upcoming weekend and UCLA after that.
"Right now, they are all equal," said Jones when asked where FSU ranked among that list. "Just because I've not been everywhere to break down stuff that's different and what they have that's similar. So I will say at this point, I don't have a leader or anything like that. It's just those schools and then once I get to that point and I commit, then that's the school that was best for me."
"I just wanted to see a change in the staff, to see what their goal was, and the goal is different for the team, it is more where they are going to run the ball," explained Jones of what he learned on his visit. "I like that. It's just different, last year they were 2-10, but just being with the players and coaches, it's all a different mindset of we're going past that year. We're going to go back to who we usually are, and that's winning games."
Jones also elaborated on his relationship with FSU offensive line coach Herb Hand.
"With Coach Hand it's great," said Jones of the pair's relationship. "We've been talking for the past year, consistently, like almost every day. And then with him coming here, it kind of went more to that of trying to get me to come up here more often, even though it's a little far, but I'll come up here more often. And with Coach Hand, he's had tackles who started as freshmen, and they've been good and now they're playing in the league. Just seeing someone who's able to teach and develop the players that have my similar ability, to have them in the league playing."
The Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep product also wanted to see if he got a feeling of family while being surrounded by the FSU coaching staff and some of its current players. He was not disappointed.
"Yeah, I did," answered Jone when asked if he got a sense of family inside the program. "I was with some players. It was great, honesty is the best thing for me, and I was asking questions, and they were just being straight up, and I appreciate that."
He also gave some insight on his conversations with head coach Mike Norvell.
"I've been talking to Coach Norvell for a long time, and we don't like have the basic talk about why he wanted me to come here," said Jones. "We just check in and see how I am doing. And with Coach, we're almost like the same person. We both have great energy, and we want the best for the people that are around us, and with Coach Norvell and myself, there's almost a connection where it's not just about football when we talk. So that's great."
Jones narrowed his list of potential college homes to six schools in late April. He has now already taken official visits to four of those schools: Colorado, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Florida State. He will take on official visit to Penn State this upcoming weekend and UCLA after that.
"Right now, they are all equal," said Jones when asked where FSU ranked among that list. "Just because I've not been everywhere to break down stuff that's different and what they have that's similar. So I will say at this point, I don't have a leader or anything like that. It's just those schools and then once I get to that point and I commit, then that's the school that was best for me."
