University of Alabama center Barrett Jones was named the 23rd recipient of the William V. Campbell Trophy, endowed by HealthSouth, at the 55th National Football Foundation Annual Awards Dinner in New York City on Dec. 4, 2012.
"Barrett is perhaps one of the greatest scholar-athletes to have ever played the game, and we are so proud to honor him tonight," said NFF President & CEO Steven J. Hatchell. "The 2012 NFF National Scholar-Athlete class is one of the best ever, and for Barrett to stand above them all really says a lot about his accomplishments. He has a perfect 4.0 GPA and an All-American football career while still significantly giving back to the community - he was the clear choice as the best scholar-athlete in college football."
The only four-time Academic All-American in the history of Alabama football, Jones graduated summa cum laude with an accounting degree in 2011. He continued his success in the classroom by adding a masters in accounting in December 2012, graduating with a perfect 4.0. A member of the the University Honors Program, Jones was named Academic All-American of the Year in 2012 and took home SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year laurels in 2011. He was inducted into eight different honoraries and was a threetime recipient of the Commitment to Academic Excellence Award. A four-time SEC Honor Roll member, Jones was inducted into eight different honoraries and was a three-time recipient of the Commitment to Academic Excellence Award and the 2012 Paul W. Bryant Student-Athlete of the Year.
On the field Jones was equally successful, leading the Tide to three national championships in his four years in Tuscaloosa. He was a three-time All-America performer at three different positions, earning First-Team honors in his final two seasons. As a junior, he won the Outland Trophy as the nation’s best interior lineman while playing at left tackle, then took home the Rimington Award as the nation’s best center as a senior. The Memphis, Tenn., native was a three-time First Team All-SEC selection and was named the 2011 Jacobs Blocking Trophy recipient as the conference’s lineman of the year.
The 2011 Wuerffel Trophy winner and member of the 2012 AFCA Good Works Team, Jones participated in two mission trips to Haiti and one to Nicaragua, distributing food, working at schools and orphanages and helping with construction projects.
In the 2013 NFL Draft, he was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the fourth round with the 113th overall pick. Jones has appeared in 10 games in the last two seasons.
Jones was Alabama's first Campbell Trophy winner and the school's sixth NFF National Scholar-Athlete, following Greg McElroy (2010), DeMeco Ryans (2005), Steadman Shealy (1979), Randall Hall (1974), and Johnny Musso (1971).
"Barrett and his fellow members of the 2012 National Scholar-Athlete Class represent all that is right about college football," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose sons Peyton (Campbell winner) and Eli were NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. "The members of this class are more than just the incredible talent you see on the field; their intelligence, leadership, and commitment to excellence will undoubtedly lead to success in whatever careers they choose to pursue in the future."
The Campbell Trophy is one of college football's most sought after and competitive awards, recognizing an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership. The award comes with a 24-inch, 25-pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 postgraduate scholarship. A total of $300,000 was awarded to Jones and the 14 other members of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, presented by Fidelity Investments, who comprised the list of Campbell Trophy finalists. Each member of the class claimed an $18,000 scholarship for their post-graduate educations.
