Coming out of high school, Mac Jones and Shaun Wade didn’t have an obvious connection beyond their home city.

Jones attended The Bolles School, a prep academy on the south side of Jacksonville, while Wade made his name at Trinity Catholic, less than 30 minutes to the northeast.

Despite growing up in the same metropolis and being separated by just about 10 miles in high school, the two never played against each other in their youth.

The current Alabama quarterback was a thin, unheralded prospect for much of his high school career, while Ohio State’s highest-rated cornerback was a five-star recruit (per Rivals) with offers from dozens of big-name schools.

There didn’t appear to be much reason to pair the two recruits together, let alone compare their careers.

As it turns out, there’s a little bit more to the story.

Jones and Wade have a relationship dating back to the 2016 IMG 7-on-7 National Championship, where they both suited up for Pro-Impact Sports.

“Mac knows how it is. That’s my guy," Wade said of the Alabama QB on Monday. "Playing with him in 7-on-7 in high school is just a blessing in disguise with both of the places that we chose. Us playing against each other in this game is just a blessing.”

Alabama's Heisman finalist quarterback has thrown for 4,036 yards and 36 touchdowns this season, but his path to stardom has been significantly more trying than that of your typical, blue-chip quarterback.

Throughout his early days of high school and in those 7-on-7 camps, Jones struggled to gain any recruiting traction. He said Wade stuck by his side, even though the two teenagers were on far different trajectories.

“At the time, I wasn’t very highly-recruited, and he always had my back in interviews or anything like that,” Jones said. “So, I really appreciate him and his family.”

Wade was quick to back the quarterback up, saying the 7-on-7 team always "took care of him" when he was a less-respected recruit.

Still, the junior cornerback was far from surprised at the breakout season Jones is having.

“From 7-on-7, we always knew that Mac was a great quarterback," Wade said. "He put the ball in the right spots, just like he’s doing now.”

On the flip side, Wade held early offers from schools such as Miami, Wisconsin, and Alabama. He was a five-star recruit and one of the most-heralded defensive backs in the country throughout his high school career, ending up as the third-ranked cornerback in the class of 2017.

According to Jones, however, the Ohio State commit was never focused on the attention or his own success in high school.

“Shaun-- like I said, he comes from a great family and he’s a technician,” Jones said. “He’s kind of a perfectionist in his own way. He celebrates when he makes great plays, but he’s more of a quiet guy and just does his job. In high school, really humble for being a top recruit.”

Though Jones and Wade grew up just minutes away from one another, their paths to finally taking the field on opposite sides couldn’t have been more different.

One was a late-riser who entered Alabama behind a log jam of highly-touted quarterbacks. The other stepped into Columbus and immediately became the Buckeyes' heir apparent in the secondary.

Now, they’re both critical pieces for elite teams, returning to their home state to captain their respective sides in the CFP National Championship.

I’m not sure either Floridian saw this coming.

“I’ve known Mac for a long time. Moneymaker Mac-- that’s what we called him," Wade said. "He is a confident guy, that’s just how he is. He’s a hard worker, a great quarterback, and really, really looking forward to playing against him.”