Deion Jones: Ready to blaze his own trail

Reese’s Senior Bowl’s Patrick Woo: When I found out everybody likes to call you “Debo” I thought that had a nice ring to it. I like it but where does “Debo” come from?
Deion Jones: It comes from my dad’s favorite football players, Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson.

RSB: So you’re telling me that your dad’s favorite football player is not his own child?
Jones: Yeah (laughs). He supports me but yeah at the time, that was his favorite two.

RSB: You’ll be his favorite player soon enough because it won’t be too long until you put on an NFL jersey. When did you start thinking about the moment where you could play in the NFL?
Jones: Ever since I was a little kid, I always wanted to put on an NFL jersey. This is starting to come fast.

RSB: What about getting to don your LSU helmet one last time here in Mobile?
Jones: Oh man, I just really wanted to represent for our school and show off our colors and play with that same intensity that we do every week in and week out.

RSB: Now you had a choice: the traditional yellow helmet or the white. You went with the white didn’t you?
Jones: Yeah we went with the white. All three of us did.

RSB: I love the white. What went into that decision?
Jones: The white jerseys, man. We had to let it flow. We had to go with the white jersey, the white helmet. That’s how we wanted to swag out that game.

RSB: We just saw you at Pro Day. You’re the talk of the town now. Your official 40 time at the NFL Combine was 4.59 and I had you at 4.51. And then I get you at Pro Day at 4.39 and they announce you as a 4.38. That’s a big difference. Some people improve by a tenth but you improved b two-tenths. What went into that?
Jones: I really lost focus on the little things when I was out there in Indy. It was a little intimidating and here I really felt like at home, I had my friends and family and coaches. It was a little better environment I guess.

RSB: You’ve now completed the Triple Crown of the NFL Draft process: Step one being the Reese’s Senior Bowl, step two being the NFL Combine and step three being your pro day. When you look back, which one of those three was your favorite?
Jones: I’d have to say the Senior Bowl because I got a chance to be around top guys – the top seniors. Got to know those guys and be on the same side of some of the guys in the SEC and get to know them as a player and a person. I really enjoyed the coaching staff from the Jaguars that were there and having that NFL experience at a practice and the game.

RSB: Debo, when you said “because” I thought you were going to say because you were talking to a Senior Bowl guy but I’m glad you had a more heartfelt answer.
Jones: (laughs) I really enjoyed it though it was real fun.

RSB: You’re a smart guy. You took a football test last year that I heard about that led some people to think why isn’t this guy on the field more. Where does your intelligence and instinct come from?
Jones: I guess just attention to detail. I guess I have wheels turning up there. I really don’t know (laughs). I guess just a knack, you know.

RSB: Other than the fact that you were on the field more as a first-year starter, what changed from John Chavis to Kevin Steele as the defensive coordinator for you?
Jones: I guess they have the same concepts on defense. They have pretty much the same personality. Just a few more moving parts on Coach Steele’s defense. That was pretty much it.

RSB: When I asked you about special teams when we first met, you put a huge smile on your face and I could tell this guy loves playing on special teams.
Jones: Yeah I really do like playing on special teams. It’s not like a play you know what I’m saying where you have to be in a certain spot. There’s a chance for you to run full speed and hit something in front of you. You get to really let loose on special teams. You have very little responsibility. You just go and try to make a play.

RSB: I mentioned your personality and your smile. We had a lot of fun with you in Mobile. Where do you get this vibe of positivity from?
Jones: I guess that came with maturity; looking at things in a positive manner. Always trying to find the good in things. I guess I get that same personality from my parents and my family. That’s pretty much all we are.

RSB: What was it like growing up for you? Growing up in New Orleans and then going to LSU, which is essentially the hometown team of New Orleans.
Jones: Growing up, it was hard to stay away from bad things but my parents guided me. They let me experience life and bump my head but they never allowed me to do anything drastic. It’s just little things. And I thank them for it because it kept me out of a lot of trouble.

RSB: When you officially became a starter your final year, what changed mentally for you from being on the sidelines wanting to start to finally doing it?
Jones: Yeah I was real excited. It was just like more of a role now. I had to be a little bit more subtle because it wasn’t like special teams where it always running wild pretty much. It was more assignment-sound so I had to calm down and go through my thought process and stuff like that.

RSB: The other conversation about you other than your speed is your weight. What weight do you want to be at?
Jones: I play at 227, 228.

RSB: In terms of smaller linebackers there’s Lavonte David and Deone Bucannon as examples. Do you compare yourself to those guys or do you want to blaze your own trail?
Jones: I think those guys really opened up the door for guys my size. But you know I’m my own player. I want to set my own trail pretty much. I really do thank those guys for what they’ve done though.

RSB: You did blaze your own trail through Mobile because I’m pretty sure you’re the first player ever to wear No. 0, which was by special request from you. When we released our rosters and had “0” by your name I got so many texts and calls asking me what number you’re going to wear and I said, no he’s really No. 0, that’s not a placeholder.
Jones: (Laughs) Man, I really thank y’all for giving me that number. I always wanted to wear zero playing football and I actually got the chance to do it. That was real cool I enjoyed every bit of it. 

RSB: But why?
Jones: I don’t know. I wore zero in basketball but I could never wear it in football. So it was just like one of those things, man I wish I could wear zero. I always mess with G-String (LSU strength coach Greg Stringfellow) too about, “let me practice in a number zero practice jersey or something like that” but I actually got a chance to practice in zero and play in number zero at the Senior Bowl so thank you.

RSB: We’re glad that you came down here and had a good experience. What went through your mind when you found out you had a chance to come down here?}
Jones: When I got the invite, I was excited. At the beginning of the year, I wasn’t really a highly talked about guy and everything came to pass and hard work paid off. And I got the chance to do a lot of things and it was really a blessing playing in the Senior Bowl and getting invited to the combine and stuff like that. It’s been a real blessing.

RSB: What’s next for you now? The specialized training is probably done for the most part so what’s your training like now?
Jones: Putting my weight back on, getting stronger, staying conditioned and working out for teams and going on visits. 

RSB: Any idea what you’re doing on Draft weekend?
Jones: Hopefully I get invited to Chicago but if not I’ll have something at my high school or probably at the house but I don’t really know yet.

RSB: Debo, leave me with this: what was your biggest takeaway or memory from the Senior Bowl that you’ll carry with you?
Jones: My biggest takeaway was when Coach Gus (Bradley) was saying you never got it. You always got to be pushing for more. That’s the problem with the NFL, you always have to work, you always have to try to make yourself better in every aspect.

RSB: I thought you were going to say wearing number zero on a football field.
Jones: (Laughs) That was a good memory. But I really took away what Coach Gus said about how a lot of guys in the league have that mindset that they got it. But you never have it.

RSB: Debo, we’re glad we got to catch up with you. You’re always enjoyable to be around and to talk to and I think there’s going to be an NFL team in the near future feel the same way about you.
Jones: Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you all for having me.