Eli Jones is a defensive end for South Florida out of Venice, Florida. The 6'3", 255-pound redshirt freshman was a three-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class. At Venice High School, he compiled 232 tackles, eight sacks, and five fumble recoveries over his prep career. As a junior in 2023, he recorded 117 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and five sacks. In his senior season, Jones tallied 108 tackles and 9.0 tackles for loss as Venice reached the 7A FHSAA state championship semifinals with a 12-1 record. During the 2025 campaign, he appeared in four regular season games and recorded one tackle versus Rice on November 29.

South Florida2025 — present