Laurence “Hootie” Jones, a four-star safety prospect out of Monroe’s Neville High School chose Southeastern Conference rival Alabama over home-state LSU at a 10 a.m. announcement party Monday.
The 6-foot-2-inch, 215 pound safety will follow West Monroe native and five-star offensive tackle Cam Robinson to the Crimson Tide.
Robinson was in attendance for Jones’ commitment Monday, along with Ouachita Parish standout and Alabama commit Cameron Sims.
Jones was tough to read in the months leading up to the decision, and before his press conference started several rumors began to circulate that Jones would attend Alabama.
But the defensive back, who has said he was fond of playing under Alabama coach Nick Saban — who also serves as the Tide’s defensive backs coach — kept true to what most analysts thought his choice would be.
The Tigers will now turn their focus to Jamal Adams — a four-star safety from Texas, who took an unofficial visit to Baton Rouge this past weekend — to try to add to other high school safeties committed to LSU, including three-star John Battle IV and four-star Devin Voorhies.