Former Georgia football player Gleaton Jones, who was on the 2021 national championship team, died on Friday.
He was 21.
Jones was involved in a car crash earlier in the week, according to UGA student newspaper The Red & Black, and he was in critical condition.
He suffered a severe brain injury in the accident, per the report.
Jones had been on a hunting trip on St. George Island in Florida, the outlet added.
A walk-on running back, Jones did not appear in a game for the Bulldogs and was no longer with the team.
“Gleaton lived life to the fullest and emoted joy and enthusiasm in every endeavor,” Jones’ obituary page reads. “For such a tender age, he created a full life for himself, and for others, by investing deeply in his family, friends, fraternity, and service to others through his growing faith. Known by his closest friends as ‘Gleat,’ he was described as simply joyful and magnetic.”
“There was no room big enough that his bright light was unable to fill. By all accounts, he was well-liked, popular, and charming, but even more so, humble, kind, empathetic, and personable- making his friends feel loved and important. His light-heartedness and joyful disposition could lift others to happiness, and his listening skills often gave peace of mind and encouragement.”
Jones, an Albany, Ga. native, is survived by his parents, Marlin and Kirk Jones, and his brother, Cole.
He was set to graduate in the spring with a marketing degree and had planned to return home to join his father in running their family farm.
“Gleaton’s Southwest Georgia roots ran deeply,” the obituary page reads. “A lover of the outdoors, he was an avid hunter and had a sincere interest in and appreciation for God’s creation. As a child, he would talk about his love of tractors and wanting to farm like his daddy and granddaddy.
“Whether in the mountains skiing with family or taking countless hunting trips with friends, he made cherished memories and found pure joy in taking in the blessings of the outdoors with those he loved.”
