DeJuan Lytelle Jones (born June 24, 1997) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew and the United States national team.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | DeJuan Lytelle Jones[1] | ||
| Date of birth | June 24, 1997 | ||
| Place of birth | Lansing, Michigan, United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.81 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Columbus Crew | ||
| Number | 12 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2011–2014 | East Lansing High School | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015–2018 | Michigan State Spartans | 76 | (16) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017 | Myrtle Beach Mutiny | 8 | (4) |
| 2018 | Lansing United | 9 | (5) |
| 2019–2024 | New England Revolution | 142 | (6) |
| 2024– | Columbus Crew | 5 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2023– | United States | 8 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:37, 20 September 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of January 20, 2024 | |||
Early life
editIntroduced to soccer at the age of five by his teacher,[3][4] Jones was a three-year letter winner in soccer at East Lansing High School, while also playing club soccer for TNT Dynamite SC, as well as Force FC.[5] During his junior and senior seasons he led the Trojans to a combined 50–4 record en route to winning back-to-back State Championships. Throughout the seven game playoff run his senior season, Jones netted 9 goals and tailed 12 assists which included the game tying assist and game winning overtime goal in the 2014 State Championship against Cranbrook Schools Jones was named both the Gatorade Player of the Year and Mr. Soccer for the state of Michigan in his senior year while attending East Lansing High School.[6]
College career
editJones played for four seasons at Michigan State, and was captain of the Spartans team that reached the semifinals of the 2018 College Cup.[7] He was named to the second team in the Big Ten Conference, alongside future Revolution teammate Justin Rennicks, and started all 23 of their games in 2018, tallying 5 goals and 5 assists. He scored 7 goals and had 6 assists the season prior, as a junior, and was named to the second team in the Big Ten that season as well. Jones performed well at the MLS Combine ahead of the 2019 MLS SuperDraft, placing first in the combine's speed and agility tests, and third in the vertical jump.[8] After scoring a goal in a scrimmage that day, his draft stock rose from being picked late in the first round, to as high as sixth overall on multiple mock drafts.[9]
Professional career
editThis section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2024) |
New England Revolution
editJones was selected with the 11th overall pick of the 2019 MLS SuperDraft by the New England Revolution, the club's second selection of the draft, after Tajon Buchanan.[10] After playing a full preseason with the Revolution, Jones signed a contract with the club on February 25, five days ahead of their season opening fixture.[11] Named in the match-day squad for the first two games, Jones did not make his debut until the Revolution's fourth game, at home to expansion side FC Cincinnati on March 24. Jones replaced left-back Edgar Castillo towards the end of the match as the Revolution tried to overcome a two-goal deficit, the game finishing 2–0. On March 30, 2019, Jones made his first career start for the Revolution, recording two shots, including one shot on goal and the game-winning assist in a 2–1 victory over Minnesota. Jones would score his first professional goal against Sporting Kansas City on April 27, with Jones calling it "an awesome feeling."[12] After his rookie season in New England, Jones signed a contract extension with the Revolution.[13]
On January 18, 2024, Jones re-signed with the Revolution on a 4-year deal, which would last through the 2027 MLS Season.[14]
Columbus Crew
editOn July 31, 2024, Jones was traded to the Columbus Crew, in exchange for Will Sands plus $600,000 in General Allocation Money.[15] He scored his first goal for the club just 20 seconds after being substituted in during his debut, in a Leagues Cup match against Sporting Kansas City.[16]
International career
editJones made his debut for the U.S. Men's National Team against Serbia, subbing on in a January camp international friendly on January 25.[17] He made his first start against Colombia later during that same friendly camp.[18] Jones was named to both the preliminary and final roster for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[19] Jones then started twice in group stage matches, which included notching his first ever assist at the international level against Trinidad and Tobago, assisting Jesus Ferreira on the opener.[20] Jones then assisted Brandon Vazquez for the opening goal of the quarter-final match up versus Canada, a game the US would go on to win in penalties.[21]
Personal life
editDeJuan Lytelle Jones was born on June 24, 1997, at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, Michigan. Jones attended Dwight Rich School of the Arts, located in Lansing, Michigan, from kindergarten through sixth grade. After finishing sixth grade, he transferred to MacDonald Middle School located in East Lansing and was there for seventh and eighth grade and moved on the East Lansing High School which is where he graduated after completing ninth through twelfth grade. After graduating from East Lansing High School he accepted a scholarship to attend Michigan State University to continue his academic and athletic career.[citation needed]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of match played September 20, 2024[22]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Myrtle Beach Mutiny | 2017[23] | PDL | 8 | 4 | — | — | — | 8 | 4 | |||
| Lansing United | 2018[24] | PDL | 9 | 5 | — | — | — | 9 | 5 | |||
| New England Revolution | 2019 | MLS | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 1[a] | 0 | 22 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 18 | 0 | — | — | 4[a] | 0 | 22 | 0 | ||||
| 2021 | 31 | 3 | — | — | 1[a] | 0 | 32 | 3 | ||||
| 2022 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | — | 35 | 1 | |||
| 2023 | 25 | 1 | — | — | 6[c] | 0 | 31 | 1 | ||||
| 2024 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[b] | 0 | — | 21 | 0 | |||
| Total | 142 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 163 | 6 | ||
| Columbus Crew | 2024 | MLS | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Career total | 164 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 185 | 16 | ||
- ^ a b c Appearance(s) in MLS Cup Playoffs
- ^ a b Appearance(s) in CONCACAF Champions Cup
- ^ Four appearances in Leagues Cup, two appearances in MLS Cup Playoffs
International
edit- As of match played January 20, 2024[25]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2023 | 7 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 8 | 0 | |
Honors
editColumbus Crew
References
edit- ^ "National team roster – 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals: USA" (PDF). CONCACAF. May 19, 2023. p. 7. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
- ^ "DeJuan Jones". New England Revolution. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
- ^ Michigan State Spartans Athletics (September 12, 2018). DeJuan Jones | Spartans All-Access | Michigan State Soccer. Retrieved August 1, 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ Jones, DeJuan (February 26, 2024). "DeJuan Jones: My no-limits journey from Lansing, Michigan to the USMNT". mlssoccer. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
- ^ revolutionsoccer.net (August 1, 2024). "DeJuan Jones". revolutionsoccer.net. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
- ^ Joseph, Brendan (January 13, 2022). "SSFC Spotlight: DeJuan Jones turning heads with USMNT". Stars and Stripes FC. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
- ^ Friend, Phil (October 23, 2018). "Yet to play its 'best soccer,' Michigan State looks to captain DeJuan Jones to lead". Lansing State Journal.
- ^ Stejskal, Sam (January 5, 2019). "Combine Performance Tests: Michigan State forward DeJuan Jones dominates". MLS Soccer.
- ^ Friend, Phil (January 10, 2019). "MSU's DeJuan Jones shines in MLS Combine, set to be early first-round pick in SuperDraft". Lansing State Journal.
- ^ "Revolution take forwards Tajon Buchanan, DeJuan Jones in MLS draft". The Boston Globe. January 11, 2019.
- ^ "Revolution sign first-round SuperDraft pick DeJuan Jones after impressive preseason". New England Revolution. February 25, 2019.
- ^ Pehota, Elizabeth (April 28, 2019). "Jones rewards Friedel's faith by bagging first MLS goal: "It's a special feeling"". revolutionsoccer.net. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
- ^ "New England Revolution re-sign defender DeJuan Jones". revolutionsoccer.net. November 15, 2019. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
- ^ "Revolution re-sign defender DeJuan Jones to four-year contract extension". revolutionsoccer.net. Archived from the original on January 18, 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ^ "Columbus Crew acquire defender DeJuan Jones from New England Revolution in exchange for defender Will Sands, $600,000 in General Allocation Money". Columbus Crew. July 31, 2024. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
- ^ @ColumbusCrew (August 11, 2024). "Dominant in his Debut DeJuan Jones broke the Club record for the Fastest Goal in a Debut, scoring 20 seconds after he subbed into the match" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ mlssoccer. "USMNT coach Anthony Hudson hails Vazquez, Cowell, Zendejas after Serbia loss | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
- ^ "DeJuan Jones earns first cap with USMNT - CBS Boston". www.cbsnews.com. January 26, 2023. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
- ^ "Callaghan Names 23-Player Roster for 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup | U.S. Soccer Official Website". www.ussoccer.com. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
- ^ "DeJuan Jones showing "high ceiling" during USMNT's Gold Cup run - SBI Soccer". sbisoccer.com. July 8, 2023. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
- ^ mlssoccer. "USAvsCAN 07-09-2023 | 2022 MLS Match Recap". mlssoccer. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
- ^ DeJuan Jones at Soccerway. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- ^ "Myrtle Beach Mutiny – 2017 Playoffs – Roster – # – DeJuan Jones -". www.uslleaguetwo.com. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
- ^ "DeJuan Jones". www.uslleaguetwo.com. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
- ^ DeJuan Jones at National-Football-Teams.com
