Jaylon Jones named Chucky Mullins Courage Award recipient
OXFORD, Miss. (BVM) — College football is moving into the fourth week of the 2020 season, but the SEC is scheduled to kick off its conference-only schedule this Saturday. And for Ole Miss, handing out the Chucky Mullins Courage Award only means football is that much closer.
This annual tradition honors Mullins, who had his playing career cut short due to a devastating career-ending injury. At the Rebels’ 1989 homecoming game against the Vanderbilt Commodores, Mullins made a head-first tackle into fullback Brad Gaines that left him paralyzed. Due to complications from the injury, Mullins passed away in 1991 after returning to Ole Miss as a student.
Heading into their first season under Lane Kiffin, the Rebels announced that senior defensive back Jaylon Jones was selected as the Chucky Mullins Courage Award winner. Along with this award, he will be wearing the No. 38 jersey this season.
A 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙙𝙖𝙮 passing along a 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙣𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧. pic.twitter.com/A58HHSci7U
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) September 10, 2020
Someone's got a 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙣𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧…
𝓐 𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂 𝓼𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓲𝓪𝓵 𝓷𝓾𝓶𝓫𝓮𝓻. pic.twitter.com/3XxjYrSADe
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) September 10, 2020
For the last two years, the 5-foot-11, 195-pound senior defensive back has been dealing with injuries. But this year, Jones is set to flourish. The four-star recruit from Allen, Texas, received first-team freshman All-American honors in 2016 and was ranked No. 3 in the SEC and No. 19 nationally with 775 kickoff return yards.
In 2018, he suffered a season-ending knee injury which forced him to redshirt that season. Following the 2018 season, Jones appeared in 10 games, making four starts for the Rebels. Last fall, Jones recorded 33 tackles, including 29 solo stops, five pass breakups, and four tackles for losses.
The Texas native has also been honored for his work off of the field. In 2018, he was named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll and the Dean’s Fall Honor Roll.
As the 30th recipient of this award, Jones joins a select group of former Rebel players, including former NFL great Patrick Willis and current NFL cornerback Mike Hilton. With the season quickly approaching, there is no doubt that Jones will live up to the Chucky Mullins name.
Just having fun, that’s all. pic.twitter.com/xd9yM2gmgt
— JAYLON JONES (@1JJones_) March 2, 2018
