Derek Jones '16 Recruiting Profile

    I will start from the top of my high school career as a freshman. As a freshman I was not considered a very good athlete or a very good student. I was beat out of my position during most of my freshman year and I didn't get good grades. Going into my sophomore year I got bigger and stronger and that led me to lettering in varsity, and I even got to start one of the games. Even though I was progressing in the Athletics world I still wasn't doing so hot in the academics and I wasn't really in the right crowd. At the end of my sophomore year I got in trouble that stopped me from playing in all sports my junior year and this took a toll on me. I feel like this "setback" was the thing that made the switch in my brain flip. That summer I started working harder in both athletics and academics. Even though I couldn't play the games I still went out and practiced with the team and I also started to improve in academics.  Most people thought I was crazy for still practicing when I couldn't play, because I didn't have to practice, but in the end I knew it would pay off.  My senior year even proved that I was right, because I was announced one of the captains of my team and I started both offense and defense on my team.  I would also like to say that my grades went up my junior year and are going up even more in my senior year.  My goals for the rest of my senior year or to improve in my academics and to hopefully get recruited to play football in college.