Video: Jai'len Jones' highlights Clinton High School
Watch the big man in action for the football team. Jai'len Jones is a jack-of-all-trades on the football field.
As a sophomore, Jones started every game at an outside linebacker-safety hybrid for
Hogan Prep Charter (Kansas City, Mo.). But like a true team player, Jones -- the backup quarterback the previous year -- gave up defense to start at quarterback as a junior. He logged two years behind center and put up solid numbers in a traditionally run-orientated offense.
"He could have played both sides of the ball, but we just try to not have our quarterback play both sides of the ball," Hogan Prep football coach Phil Lascuola said.
Jai'len Jones helped his team to nine wins during
the 2016 season.
Courtesy photo
Jones wanted to do what was best for his team. The captain transitioned easily over to offense.
"I wanted to play quarterback ... even though in college I knew I wanted to play defense," Jones said. "On offense, it was a key spot for our team junior and senior year."
Football has always been a big part of Jones' life ever since he was little. He's always had the passion for the sport and exudes that passion on the field.
"He's a kid that will bring it every play," Lascuola said. "Good student of the game. He will study tape and he'll do the things he needs to do to make him successful. He's one of our co-captains, so he's a leader on and off the field. He has a good family life, a good home life. He has pretty much all the tools he needs around him to make sure he stays successful."
Jones, who is 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, was instrumental in helping lead Hogan Prep to the Class 3 District 7 semifinals before a season-ending 49-12 loss to Clinton.
"Very good athlete," Lascuola said. "Good athletic body. Makes good grades. He's just a kid that I wish I had him coming back."
Hogan Prep was accustomed to using a power running formation in past seasons. However, with a dual-threat at quarterback, Lascuola opened the playbook up a little this year.
"My coach gives me the freedom to work the offense basically when it comes to me stepping up in the pocket and then taking off or read options," Jones said.
Jones' future could lie on defense.
Courtesy photo
Jones has been a big part of Hogan Prep as a three-sport athlete – football, basketball and track and field – as well being a sound student in the classroom.
"He's a Kauffman Scholar, so there are so many things that make him unique," said Lascuola, who is also the dean of students at Hogan Prep. "I think doing all that keeps him doing the right thing and keeps him in shape for all three sports, and they all just kind of jell together."
He has been on the varsity basketball team all four years, getting in to the starting lineup at the end of his sophomore season and not relinquishing the spot. Jones is also a four-year runner on the track team, competing in the 110-meter hurdles, and the 4x200- and 4x400-meter relays. He had a shot at advancing to state last year in the hurdles, but he got knocked off in the finals.
His athletic success has not come without personal hurdles. Jones has lived with juvenile diabetes for five years, but that's never slowed him down. He makes sure he watches what he eats, keeps his blood sugar levels balanced and takes his insulin with every meal.
"It was really motivational when I saw that it was possible to make it even with juvenile diabetes," Jones said. "There are multiple people I was informed that actually made it pro. Jay Cutler is a big example since I'm a quarterback. Seeing him and what he does and being able to control it."
Although sports have been influential all Jones' life, he learned at an early age it wouldn't be his primary focus.
"My mother raised me on good academics, and athletics come second," Jones said. "There's no excuse to have a bad grade."
Jones took home a 3.8 GPA last quarter to boost his overall GPA to 3.4. That ranks him No. 3 in a class of about 70 kids at the small preparatory school. He is the student council vice president as a senior, the same position he held as a sophomore. Holding that high class rank helps Jones with his leadership skills, he said.
"It helps you look at things not just as a student view but from a staff view," Jones said. "We help with decisions throughout the school, so it's actually a pretty good thing."
Jones also participates in basketball and track.
Courtesy photo
As a requirement at Hogan Prep before graduating, students have to amass 100 volunteer hours over their high school careers. Jones has helped with various in-school projects over the years to exceed his allotted volunteer hours.
Jones is already looking ahead to college next fall, where he'd like to pursue a degree in architecture or engineering. As part of a junior seminar class, Jones was able to intern at Populous, a large architectural firm in Kansas City.
"We actually talked to somebody that's in it, and see if you really enjoy the major you plan on taking," Jones said. "I really enjoyed it. I actually watched a project on a building that was getting made. It was good to see how everything worked, how it was broke down in different sections, how people helped each other."
Jones is keeping his options open for college. Of course, he wants to play football. He's getting attention from a wide range of schools, including the University of Kansas and Northwest Missouri State all the way down to Division III programs.
"I'll go anywhere," Jones said. "I just want to play."
