Every year, the nation’s top football players are invited to showcase their talents at Under Armour’s All American football game, where the best high school players from the East and West Coast compete for an exclusive championship title. The All American football program is known for its notable alumni, some of which include Julio Jones, current wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons; Myles Garrett, current defensive end for the Cleveland Browns, and more recently, Patrick Surtain, current Denver Bronco and former Patriot.
November 2021, senior Marvin Jones was selected to represent the Patriots in the 2022 All-American Bowl, adding his name to the long list of NFL greats who took part in the same match years prior.
“I was really excited to have been invited. This is something I’ve been watching on ESPN since I was a child, so it’s really a blessing to finally be here,” Jones said.
Jones commenced his All American experience in San Antonio, Texas, where he and his East Coast teammates met their coaches, respective to their playing positions, and tried on exclusive Under Armour All American gear for the first time. After acquainting himself with his coaches and teammates, Jones had to prepare for his first practice with the team the next day at 9 a.m., where he would run defensive end drills and learn plays until 3 p.m., dedicating half the day to playing football. Jones repeated this routine for four days, gelling and training with his team until it was time for the bowl game.
The Eastern and Western all-star teams were both stacked four and five star athletes in all their positions, but the West proved too strong for the East in the end, winning 33-14. Jones may have left the game with a loss, but he also left with a new valuable and memorable experience.
“My favorite part was signing stuff for all the kids and hearing them scream my name and ask for my cleats and gloves after the game. It was also pretty cool seeing all of the cameras and all of the people there to watch us play,” Jones said.
The five star defensive lineman now looks to perform at the highest level of college football in Athens at the University of Georgia. He intends to replicate the success of the Bulldogs this past season, hoping to add Georgia’s fourth national championship in his time at the school.
