Former Bulldog running back Cash Jones announced via Instagram Wednesday that he will declare for the 2026 NFL Draft following his five-year collegiate career spent entirely in Athens.

Jones’ lengthy time at Georgia made him one of the few players on last year’s team to have been on both the 2021 and 2022 Bulldogs teams that won national titles, as well as winning three SEC championships. The Brock, Texas, native was just a two-star recruit out of high school, making him one of the most unlikely contributors to earn a role with the team.

According to 247Sports, Jones’ only Division I offers were Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Army and New Mexico State. Jones briefly committed to New Mexico State in December 2020, but was instead persuaded by Georgia to compete for a valuable spot on the depth chart as a preferred walk-on. Jones decided to gamble on himself, joining one of the most stacked rosters in all of college football at the time.

Jones redshirted his first year in Athens, touching the ball just three times all season. He also appeared occasionally during his second year, but scored his first collegiate touchdown late in a 55-0 rout of Vanderbilt. 

By the end of the 2022 season, Jones was a two-time national champion, but it began to look like he did not have enough talent to carve out a role for himself with the Bulldogs. Rather than transferring to a smaller program or somewhere closer to home where he may have had a better chance to get on the field, Jones instead stayed loyal to the program he loved, believing he could make a difference in the offense with enough hard work.

In 2023, Jones’ grind began to pay off as he saw increased playing time. The sophomore recorded 161 rushing yards and 92 receiving yards with two touchdowns, finding comfort as a pass-catching back and a contributor on special teams. Jones did not add much on the ground in 2024, but had 24 catches for 275 yards and four touchdowns, making him the team’s fifth-leading receiver. 

Jones announced he would return to Georgia for a fifth season in 2025, likely the last year of eligibility he would earn. He maintained his role on special teams, as a receiving back and on late-down situations, arguably making the biggest play of his career on Nov. 15, 2025, when he recovered a surprise onside kick to stun his hometown Longhorns. Jones also made a difference in the Allstate Sugar Bowl against Ole Miss, his last game as a Bulldog, taking the snap on a successful fake punt and recovering an onside kick with one second left to give Georgia a final shot at victory.

While it remains unclear who will assume the unique role Jones leaves behind in the Georgia offense, the Bulldogs maintain plenty of depth at the running back position for the 2026 season as Jones seeks a professional career in football.