Jared Seth Jones (born October 3, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman and alternate captain for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected fourth overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. After two seasons playing for the United States National Team Development Program, Jones joined the Western Hockey League‘s (WHL) Portland Winterhawks. Jones has represented the United States several times internationally. He won back-to-back gold medals at the 2011 and 2012 IIHF World U18 Championships. He was a member of the 2013 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships team that won a gold medal. Early life[edit] Jones was born in Arlington, Texas, to Amy and Ronald “Popeye” Jones, when his father was a member of the National Basketball Association‘s (NBA) Dallas Mavericks. He is the…