WEST LONG BRANCH – After ranking ninth in the country in tackles last season and being named to the AFCA All-American team as a second-team selection, junior safety Jaeden Jones is not about to rest on his laurels.
It’s simply not in his DNA to settle for past achievements when there’s always another goal to chase, another challenge to overcome, and more progress to be made.
Jones is self-motivated and a master of introspection, who knows there’s always room for improvement. He’s brutally honest about self-awareness and isn’t afraid to admit a weakness in his game so he can turn it into a strength. He speaks with quiet humility, choosing his words carefully and never seeking attention for himself. He’s the quintessential team player who puts the success of the team above all else.
In his first season as a starter last year, Jones, naturally reserved, led by example, allowing his performance on the field do the talking. This season, he aims to step into a stronger leadership role by speaking up more and enhancing his on-field communication.
“Yes, I would say so,” Jones said when asked if he expects to take on more of a leadership role this season. “I think that comes with my experience being here last year. I’m trying to be more vocal; the coaches want me to be more vocal. So, there’s definitely been a learning curve. People who know me know I’m not the most vocal person. But I’m trying to take the steps to become a better leader, become a better teammate, and try to elevate this team as much as I can.”
Jones is a born leader, and stepping into a more vocal role should come naturally to him. He understands himself deeply, and when pushed, he responds with the same intensity he brings to every tackle.
“I’m always trying to improve my game, whether that’s making more tackles, being better in coverage, or just communicating louder and knowing my assignments,” said Jones. “I want to know what everyone’s supposed to be doing out there, so if there’s a problem, I can facilitate and get everybody set. I’m just trying to be the best version of myself and learn as much football as I can and have the best season that we can have.”
Some things are just meant to be, and Jones being back at Monmouth this season appears to be just that. However, it almost didn’t happen. As with most top-level FCS players, Jones threw his name into the transfer portal but had a change of heart and withdrew it. He’s thrilled he did, and so are the Hawks.
“Monmouth gave me the opportunity to come back,” Jones said. “They were transparent with me the whole time and just wanted whatever was best for me to help me grow. They’ve believed in me ever since high school, and I’m grateful for that and want to give back to them.”
New defensive coordinator Louis DiRienzo Jr. raves about Jones, not only as a player, but as a person.
“Jaeden is having an unbelievable spring coming off an All-American campaign,” said DiRienzo Jr. “But what I’m proud of, obviously, he’s a great player, but he’s really worked on the areas of his game he needed to improve. He wants to be a better player; he’s playing man coverage better than ever. But what I’m most proud of him for right now is his leadership. He’s a guy we have to count on in a leadership role, and he’s really taken strides in that area. We’re counting on Jaedan in a big way this year.”
The respect goes both ways, with Jones’ endorsement of DiRienzo Jr.’s elevation to defensive coordinator.
“It’s been a smooth transition. He was here last season, so we know where he’s coming from,” said Jones. “He’s already built a relationship with all of us, and everybody has bought in. “Everybody believes in what he can do and where he can take us, and we’re excited about this defense. He’s brought in some new schemes that we’re learning and trying to pick up day by day. It’s trusting the process; we’re not really worried about the result right now, we have a long time until the season starts. We’re just trying to get better every single day, putting in the hours.”
Jones understands the stigma attached to Monmouth’s defenses in past seasons, but he insists this year will be different and believes the unit they put on the field will be something to take pride in.
“That’s the goal,” Jones said when asked if he feels the defense can turn things around this season. “We just want to play complementary football. I feel like that was the problem last year. There were a lot of times where we (defense) could’ve played better, and we didn’t. And when the offense needed us to play better, we kind of dozed off. We want to be able to pick the offense up when they need to be picked up, the way they’ve been picking us up over the past year. We’re just striving to be the best we can.”
Monmouth lost two key secondary starters to the transfer portal, safety Deuce Lee (Georgia State) and cornerback Izzy Clark-White (New Mexico State), along with a couple of valued reserves, but Jones feels the incoming additions through the transfer portal and returning depth give the secondary the potential to be a really solid unit.
“I think we’re looking good,” said Jones of the defensive backfield. “Obviously, we lost some key guys from last year, but we’ve recruited good players and good people, and everybody is just buying in, taking it day by day, trying to learn their assignments, and I think we’re jelling really well. We’re contesting routes well, and we’re communicating in the back end well, so once everybody gets on the same page, it’s going to be really good.”
Returning starting cornerback Chris Palmer Jr., returning safeties Trey McLeer and Donovan Fey, and transfer portal additions, Amir Haskett (Richmond), Hasson Manning Jr. (Delaware), and Omar Ibraham (Temple) have all stood out this spring, according to Jones, but he’s quick to point out that everyone in the secondary has stepped up.
As Monmouth looks ahead to the upcoming season, the need for a more consistent, reliable defense looms large, and that’s where Jones’ growth becomes critical. It comes at a time when the Hawks are determined to shed past images of their defense and establish a unit they can depend on. With his elevated presence both on and off the field, Jones is poised not just to build on his All-American campaign, but to anchor a defense that must take a significant step forward if Monmouth is going to reach its goals.
