A Colorado Springs football program picked up a piece of early national recognition this week, with one of its defensive backs drawing attention from award organizers ahead of the fall season.
Jones was one of 35 defensive backs across the country added to the Jim Thorpe Award's preseason watch list. The award recognizes the top defensive back in college football and carries a character component as part of its criteria. The Falcons have recent history with the honor — fellow Air Force defensive back Trey Taylor took home the award in 2023.
During his sophomore campaign, Jones recorded 76 tackles, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery. Those numbers positioned him as a notable contributor in Air Force's secondary and apparently caught the eye of preseason evaluators at the national level.
The individual recognition comes even as Jones finds himself third on the team's most recently released depth chart at strong safety, with sophomore Cade Paterson and junior Kyle Chen listed ahead of him — though the season opener is still more than three weeks away. The current standing reflects how much competition the Falcons have built at the position rather than any shortage of confidence in Jones as a player.
Among his peers on the watch list, Jones stood apart as the only representative from the service academies, and he was one of just two Mountain West players included, alongside New Mexico senior safety Austin Brawley. His selection continues a pattern of Air Force defensive backs earning recognition on the national stage.
Whether Jones climbs the depth chart before the season begins — and how far he advances in Jim Thorpe Award voting once the season gets underway — remains to be seen as fall camp continues.