Georgia football: 30 greatest players of the Mark Richt era

• SEC Champion (2002)
• First-Team All-American (2003)
• First-Team All-SEC (2003)
• Seven interceptions

Though Mark Richt is an offensive-minded head coach, having played quarterback at Miami and been an offensive coordinator while at Florida State, he always seemed to have at least one elite safety on his defense at any given time during his 15-year stay in Athens. Sean Jones was no exception to this.

Jones played his high school ball at Westlake High School in Atlanta. He starred on both sides of the ball while at Westlake, playing quarterback on offense and essentially quarterbacking the defense at safety. His vision while on the gridiron helped make a star player while at Georgia.

Jones played in 37 games while with the Dawgs, but certainly made the most of them. He had seven interceptions for 100 yards for Georgia. However, his most famous play was a sensational fumble recovery versus the rival Tennessee Volunteers in 2003.

Tennessee was near the Georgia goal line late in the first half. The Vols would fumble the ball and Jones would scoop it up, scampering the other way for 92 yards and a touchdown. This was one of the best calls in the legendary broadcasting career for Larry Munson. Now why did so many of them come against Tennessee?

Already an SEC Champion from the 2002 campaign, Jones would make darn sure his last season in Athens was a spectacular one. His five interceptions for 42 yards and that iconic 92-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown versus Tennessee allowed Jones to be named First-Team All-SEC and First-Team All-American in some publications.

Though the Dawgs would get back to the SEC Championship in 2003, the result was not what Richt, Jones or anybody wanted. Georgia would be throttled by Nick Saban’s LSU Tigers, as Georgia would suffer its third loss of the season.

Jones would turn pro after the 2003 NCAA season. You really couldn’t blame him for leaving early, as he was the No. 59 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. Jones spent his first five NFL seasons with the Browns with three other stops before retiring after the 2012 campaign.

Overall, Jones is a perfect example of making the most of your time on the field. Though he only played in 37 games over three seasons, he managed eight turnovers on a defense that largely carried the early part of the Richt era in Athens.