Third Georgia football player charged, as Demello Jones hit with racing violation

Following the news that two Georgia players were arrested earlier this week for reckless driving, additional reporting by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has revealed that a third Georgia player was involved.

In addition to linebacker Smael Mondon and offensive lineman Bo Hughley, freshman defensive back Demello Jones was also charged, this time with racing on streets/highways.

The AJC reports that Jones was not sent to jail because he immediately slowed and cooperated with police.

Jones was driving a 2021 Porsche Panamera on Wednesday night when he was stopped for racing with Mondon, who was driving a 2022 Dodge Charger near downtown Athens. Worth noting is that Mondon claimed to police that he did not know the driver of the Porsche.

Hughley was arrested on Tuesday and charged with reckless driving as well as failure to maintain lane/improper driving following “a single-car accident.”

The arrests of Smael Mondon, Bo Hughley and Demello Jones are the latest for a Georgia program that has had two other players arrested this offseason in running back Trevor Etienne and receiver Sacovie White. Etienne was charged with DUI, but his charges were dropped earlier this week after a plea deal.

Smael Mondon is one of the top linebackers in the SEC after racking up 68 tackles for Georgia in 2023, which ranked second on the Bulldogs team. He was named a second-team All-SEC selection after appearing in 13 games, with 11 starts.

Mondon was ranked as a five-star recruiting coming out of high school, according to the On3 Industry rankings.

Hughley was ranked as a four-star recruit in the class of 2023, per the On3 Industry Rankings. He redshirted last season.

Jones is a top-50 prospect, ranked as a four-star recruit and the No. 46 overall player in the nation in the 2024 class, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. He checked in as the No. 7 cornerback in the class and the No. 7 overall player from the state of Georgia.