Former Gamecock Ernest Jones sacks Bengals QB Joe Burrow in Super Bowl
Former South Carolina Gamecock Ernest Jones is making an impact in Super Bowl 56.
The Los Angeles Rams linebacker sacked Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in the third quarter. Jones also deflected a Burrow pass in the game’s first quarter. He had three tackles through the third quarter with the Bengals leading 20-16.
Jones, who played inside linebacker at South Carolina from 2018-20, is in his first year of the NFL with the Rams. He was drafted 103rd overall in the 2021 NFL Draft and was the second Gamecock to come off the board behind cornerback Jaycee Horn, the No. 8 overall pick to the Carolina Panthers.
The 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker played in 15 games and earned seven starts with the Rams in his rookie campaign. Jones tallied 54 total tackles before the Super Bowl, including 29 solo tackles, as well as four pass deflections, two interceptions and one sack.
Jones signed his four-year rookie contract with the Rams in July. He suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 16 which sidelined him until he was reactivated for the NFC Championship game Jan. 30.
Jones recorded 199 career tackles, 10.5 TFLs, two sacks and two interceptions in three seasons with USC. He was one of four Gamecocks taken in last year’s NFL draft, along with Horn, Carolina Panthers wide receiver Shi Smith (sixth round) and Dallas Cowboys defensive back Israel Mukuamu (sixth round).
Originally from Ware County High School in Waycross, Georgia, Jones was was the 59th outside linebacker and 84th best overall high school prospect out of the state of Georgia in the class of 2018.
This story was originally published February 13, 2022 at 9:03 PM.
