Jenks’ Kaydin Jones
By Mike Moguin
Kaydin Jones is getting a lot of headlines while accomplishing a lot in the young 2025 football season. The senior Jenks Trojan rushed for 160 yards on 34 carries and scored three touchdowns, helping his team rally from a 14-point deficit to beat Owasso, 31-21, back on Sept. 5, giving Jenks a 2-0 start.
Jones is the son of Kejuan Jones, who was also a standout running back at Jenks, followed by a stellar career at the University of Oklahoma (2001-05). The younger Jones is also bound for D-I college ball in the state, but he’ll be playing for Oklahoma State instead.
As he was making his decision, he realized he needed to take his own path. He made his announcement in X back in March and will sign officially in December. However, his dad, whom he calls his “Pops,” has influenced his life.
“I’ve seen my pops sacrifice for the family,” Jones said. “He is just a really good role model. I definitely try to shape my life the way he tries to reach me. Just watching him as I grow up, he definitely helps me become a man.”
Playing the gridiron has taught KD, another nickname for the younger Jones, about the team aspect of football and being there for your teammates when they need you the most, he said.
“You can relate that to bigger things outside of football, just little aspects of the game like have really helped me become a better person,” said Jones.
Union, Owasso, Bixby, and Broken Arrow are the top rivalries for Jenks, and when the Trojans finish on top, Jones sees that as being among his favorite accomplishments.
“Winning big games like the rivalries that we’ve been a part of,” Jones said. “The Backyard Bowl (Jenks vs. Union) is such a deep tradition. Winning games like that doesn’t come easy. I would also say getting to the state championship (2023 6AI Final vs. Bixby), my sophomore year, was a big accomplishment. It didn’t end the way we would have liked it to, but getting to that point was a big time in my career.”
Other people in Jones’ life have contributed to his growth in football and in life.
His favorite teacher is the principal, Mr. Fox, at Jenks High School.
“He is just very relatable,” Jones said. “He understands a student-athlete, especially at the caliber of my level. He’s really helpful; he’s there for athletes. Like I said, he understands life.”
And there is a certain teammate who is special to him.
“I’ve had a lot of great teammates. Some of them have become my best friends,” Jones said. “But a relationship I’ve really had is with my quarterback Owen Jones. We were at Broken Arrow together, then we came over to Jenks together. We’ve been together a lot, so our relationship is really tight.”
Most important of all, Jones loves wearing the Trojan Maroon and White on Fall Friday nights.
“I take the biggest pride in just being the type of player that the City of Jenks wants to see in you,” he said. “They always have my back. It’s a really tight community. I wouldn’t want to play for anyone else. When I came over from BA, that was the biggest difference I saw was the community and how tight they were and included in the football life.”
Jones gives a shoutout to his father and coaches.
“Thank you for pushing me all the time, keeping me held accountable, and pushing me to the best of my ability,” he said.
Follow KD on Instagram @kaydin
