One former member of the UConn football team will have his chance to play in this year’s Super Bowl if his team is able to win on Saturday.
Defensive tackle Travis Jones and the Baltimore Ravens have achieved success all season. After clinching the American Football Conference’s No. 1 seed ahead of the playoffs, they gained a convincing victory over the Houston Texans that advanced them to the AFC Championship game. Before Jones had a chance to show his skills on a national stage, he was a young man from the town of New Haven, Connecticut. Jones played football at Wilbur Cross High School, where he garnered the attention of college programs. Eventually, Jones decided to commit to UConn on a football scholarship.
Jones played three seasons as a Husky from 2018-2021, having missed the 2020 season due to COVID-19. In his three seasons, the lineman was effective, appearing in 35 games and tallying 133 tackles, 47 solo and 86 assisted. He had 8.5 sacks to erase 56 yards from opponents. In addition, he had 19 tackles for a loss, which resulted in opponents losing 85 total yards, and recovered one fumble. Jones’ performance at the 2022 Reese’s senior bowl garnered the attention of NFL scouts and earned him an invite to the 2022 NFL Draft combine.
A solid combine performance led to Jones’ selection in the third round, 76th overall by Baltimore, making him the 43rd Connecticut Husky to be drafted into the NFL.
Jones has grown into a solid contributor early in his professional career. He played in 15 games for Baltimore during his rookie campaign before appearing in all 17 games this season. As a rookie, Jones recorded 36 tackles, 20 solo and 16 assisted, while also recording 1.5 sacks, two passes defended and 8.5 stuffs. This season, Jones tallied 24 tackles, 14 solo and 10 assisted, alongside one sack and one pass defended. The 24-year-old has appeared in two playoff games at this point in his career, recording two total tackles in those games.
The only obstacle standing between the Ravens and a potential Super Bowl appearance is the Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs. The game is expected to be a shootout as both quarterbacks will attempt to outplay the other. Despite the notable headlines entering the contest and the fact that UConn does not have the same notoriety as other collegiate football programs, it’s fun to see a former Husky have a chance to achieve every little kid’s dream on the nation’s biggest stage.