Nacogdoches Safety Brandon Jones Picks Up Texas and Arkansas Offers

The run continues for Nacogdoches safety Brandon Jones.

The 2016 prospect, East Texas scholarship leader in his class, announced Monday via Twitter he has new offers from Texas and Arkansas. The two invitations push Jones' scholarship total to 30 offers.

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the safety's recruitment is just two schools outside of the power five college football conferences have invited him to join their team, regional teams in Houston and Louisiana Tech.

An offer from Texas seemed especially imminent. The Longhorns have been in contact with Jones and visited a Nacogdoches spring practice.

Texas kicked off the Charlie Strong era Saturday with a convincing 38-7 win against North Texas.

The school is no stranger to East Texas. It plucked Jasper offensive lineman Terrell Cuney, Longview receiver Dorian Leonard and Newton running back Kevin Shorter from the region last season.

Jones is the first player to receive an offer from Texas in the local 2016 class and the eighth current player in all of East Texas to hold an offer from the Longhorns. Seven Class of 2015 members hold offers from Strong's program, but none are committed to Texas.

Four players with Texas offers have pledged to Texas A&M while Longview running back JaMycal Hasty has given Baylor his word.

Senior Gilmer athlete Kris Boyd and Lufkin receiver KeKe Coutee are the only other players aside from Jones currently having meaningful dialog with the Longhorns.

Jones' offer from Arkansas marked the Razorbacks sixth attempt at a current East Texas player. The Razorbacks have five scholarships out for players in the local Class of 2015 and have faced similar roadblocks. Three targets are committed to Texas A&M and one to Oklahoma State.

Boyd joins Jones as the only player on the board for Bret Bielama's program in the region.

Jones has plenty of time to make a decision. He won't be able to sign until Feb. 3, 2016, unless he intends to graduate early. If that's the case, he could sign a financial aid agreement with a school next August.

Combined with Nacogdoches senior cornerback Jaylon Lane, Jones and Lane hold 67 FBS offers. Fellow junior Dragons safety Corey Lane has a scholarship opportunity with Louisiana Tech.

Nacogdoches (1-0) squeaked by Kilgore with a last-second, game-winning field goal Friday for a 27-25 win. The Dragons will visit Hallsville (1-0) this Friday.

Jones will attend Texas A&M's game against Lamar as an unofficial visitor in College Station on Saturday.

2016 East Texas Football Players With Division I FBS Offers