Auburn defender Jamonta Waller arrested in Mississippi on Friday
Auburn linebacker Jamonta Waller was arrested in Mississippi on Friday, records show.
Waller was charged with Malicious mischief involving property of another, per online records.
Jamonta Waller was ranked as a four-star recruit and the No. 136 overall player in the country, per the On3 Industry rankings. He signed with Auburn after attending Picayune Memorial High School in Picayune, Mississippi.
No additional details have been released about Waller’s arrest. However, according to WLOX, 21 Picayune Memorial High School students were arrested and charged with malicious mischief.
Pearl River County Sheriff David Allison told WLOX that the arrests occurred because of a “prank at the school that escalated.” It has not been confirmed if Waller’s arrest stems from that incident.
Jamonta Waller signed with Auburn in December after flipping his commitment from Florida.
Waller spoke with On3’s Chad Simmons at the time about why he chose the Tigers.
“Florida is a great school, but Auburn never stopped recruiting me. Coach Freeze stayed on contact, he reached out and always let me know he wanted me on his side,” Waller told Simmons. “Auburn is the best fit for me all around. Being a smaller city, it has that hometown vibe.
“The connection with the staff played a big role in my decision. Coach Garrett and coach Freeze being from Mississippi and always letting me know them Mississippi boys are different. That went a long way with me. … Coach Freeze has done it in the past so he has proven himself to be the man for the job,” Waller said. “I am excited to be a part of the foundation of what coach Freeze is trying to build.”
Waller is set to play the Buck position at Auburn. He is listed at 6-0, 247 pounds.
He joined the Auburn program after an impressive high school career, including earning Class 6A Mr. Football honors in Mississippi.
He won back-to-back state titles during his high school career. Waller finished his senior season with 69 tackles, 9 sacks, 22 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles and a blocked punt as a senior.
He played in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game and the Under Armour All-American after earning all-state honors.
Auburn is coming off of a 6-7 season under first-year head coach Hugh Freeze. The Tigers are set to open their 2024 campaign on Aug. 31 against in-state foe Alabama A&M. It remains to be seen if Waller will receive any punishment after the arrest.