Cape Coral’s Darrion Jones ready to go from Seahawk to Jayhawk

Every time Darrion Jones wears the orange and blue of Cape Coral High School, he strives to make the most of it, especially because this is his senior season.

“Since we lost last year to a couple teams we’re playing this year, I try to tell them, don’t take nothing for granted,” Jones said. “‘Cause like it goes by really fast. We’re just trying to get our wins back.”

One of the losses the Seahawks avenged from last season was Island Coast last Friday, where Jones secured an interception late in the first half.

“If the ball is in the air, he’s probably going to pluck it out,” Cape Coral defensive coordinator Jaylen Watkins said. “He’s very rangey, he’s very instinctual. I think he’s one of the better players at the free safety spot in the state. He just got converted to there this year.”

It was through adversity, which Jones described as, “all those bear crawls outside, all those running outside 100 yards sprints 20-30 times,” where his dreams of playing college football became clear.

Jones explained, “cause I know it’s going to be worse than that. I always told myself cause, at times, I wanted to give up. I was telling myself I wanted to give up I was going to quit. I was going to do something else. But at the same time, I had to think what I really wanted for myself and my family.”

That mindset helped make Jones a three-star recruit, eyed by programs such as Ohio State and Miami. Jones decided to commit to the Kansas Jayhawks and head coach Lance Leipold.

“As I spoke to the coaching staff for Kansas more, I just felt more like wanted,” Jones explained.

Jones is the first player since Tyrese Jiles, who committed to North Carolina in 2012, to commit to a school in one of the power conferences such as SEC, Big 10, Big 12 and ACC. Kansas plays in the Big 12.

Next year, Jones will see his face and name on the “Athletes at the Next Level” wall in the halls of Cape Coral High School.

“It’s going to be surprising cause I never thought that would happen,” Jones said.