Here we are in the dead of Winter discussing who’s the best at a certain position. It’s always a risky proposition diving head-first without a lifesaver into these dangerous waters when declaring absolutes, but anointing a player “the best” at his position guarantees NOTHING if you’ve been paying attention. If anything, it’s added pressure–and pressure bursts pipes as they say. There’s all type of nuance that can go into saying someone’s the best without declaring them THE best. It’s simply a matter of interpretation and there are examples out there highlighting countless players that finished at the tops of their statistical categories, but were far from the best.

Is Clearwater’s Jacquez Jones the best wide receiver in Pinellas County entering the 2016 season? Perhaps. If we were to declare him as THE best, that would lie in direct conflict with the opening thesis of this piece. It’s easier at this point in time to say he’s without a doubt the most-exciting, most-dynamic playmaker in the county returning at the position. It’s easier because the aforementioned pressure busted the pipes of Clearwater’s season and the sting of that ending isn’t going to go away with some sort of magic elixir.

All of that said, here’s the case why it’s going to be hard to keep Jones out of the discussion for the top spot heading into the season, though. On an offense that had it’s fair share of weapons to spread the ball around to, Jones totaled 1,323 yards rushing and receiving and thirteen touchdowns. He added 5-100+ yards games to his credit and now is poised to smash the 2,000-yard plateau in total yards for his high school career and should push past 3,000 quite frankly.

The amount of roller-skating that happens to DB’s during the course of a camp or a game in which Jones is involved would make De La Soul create a remix to “Saturdays” and the 5-foot-10, 160-pounder is only getting greasier with those moves. Guys like East Lake’s Bryce Miller, Boca Ciega’s Sam Thompson and Gibbs’ Quandale Inmon should have some say when it’s all-said-and-done, and much like the seasons’ change–so do the names of guys that flash when you least saw it coming. Therefore the title of “best” wide receiver in Pinellas remains unfilled for now, but prepare for an E5 tornado warning once Jones decides the time or debate is over.