Jacoby Jones hopes to make name for himself

Jim Ecker

Jacoby Jones has been known to sit in front of a television and watch Jacoby Jones play ball.

OK, let's clarify that.

Jacoby Jones, a baseball player and Aflac All-American from Richton, Miss., has been know to sit in front of a television and watch Jacoby Jones, a wide receiver in the NFL, catch passes for the Houston Texans.

Same name. Great athletic ability. Different guys.

"Yeah, I've watched him play before," said Jacoby Jones, the baseball player. "He's a big old boy. He's fast and has good hands."

Someday, somebody might ask the football-playing Jones about the baseball-playing Jones, a 6-foot-3, 189-pound infielder who might reach the major leagues.

"Yeah, I've watched him play before," the football-playing Jones might say in a few years. "He's a big old boy. He's fast and has good hands."

Back at you, buddy.

The baseball Jones has never met the football Jones and says there's never been any confusion over which is which.

Jacoby Jones (the baseball player) has been playing with the Mississippi Prospects this summer. He's toured Florida, Mississippi, Alabama and Minnesota for tournaments and showcases. And next week he'll report to San Diego for the 2009 Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic at PETCO Park, home of the Padres.

"It's a great honor," he said.

Jones has committed to play college baseball at LSU and is excited about joining the 2009 College World Series champions, pending the 2010 draft. He committed in early March after his second visit to the school, saying there's a "great atmosphere" at LSU. He also likes the fact that the LSU campus is not far from his home in Mississippi.

"It's like three hours," he said. "Yeah, it's pretty close."

Jones hopes to make a name for himself someday, either at LSU or in the big leagues.

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