“Jadon Canady makes the play as Spencer Rattler, on just his second throw of the season, throws a pick!” You may remember this play from the start of the 2021 college football season. You may have been watching live as one player’s career arc took a dramatic downturn while the other’s arc started off with a bang. But as Canady intercepted a Heisman favorite on just his second-career collegiate snap, this was hardly the beginning for the humble speedster from Jacksonville.
Where it Began for Jadon Canady
Rewind the clocks a few years prior to the Rattler interception. Rewind to Canady starring as a two-sport athlete at some of Florida’s top athletically-profiled high schools. Not just a two-sport star but also a two-way standout on the football field. As a receiver and defensive back at Sandalwood High School in Jacksonville, Canady made a name for himself.
And for those in the know from the get-go, the interception off Rattler was far from a surprise.
“I remember specifically a red-zone jump ball touchdown catch against Nease (High School) that Jadon had,” Tulane Director of Player Personnel Wes Fritz said. “‘We have to get this guy,’ I thought to myself.”
Somehow quietly, Canady put forth a dominant high school football career. So quiet was his dominance that Canady held a scholarship offer from Howard prior to his senior season. Committing early to the Bison, things changed as Canady kept his head down and worked harder than anyone in the room during the fall of 2020.
“Even through the recruiting process, no one really believed that he had this ability and these tools,” former Pro Bowl NFL defensive back Lito Sheppard said. “He played games in high school where he didn’t match up against the top guys on the other side of the field, and so he’s always been overlooked in a sense. But I think that’s what also kept him motivated and grinding.”
That motivation and grind paid off. After leading the state of Florida with 10 interceptions in 2020, things changed significantly. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, those doors began to open for Canady, mainly due to his dual-sport play and his effort on the field every Friday night.
“He is one of the few high school prospects I have evaluated where there is hardly any difference between the full game film and his highlight tape,” Fritz said of Canady. “Due to COVID, we were unable to see anyone in the 2021 class in person or in a camp setting. We put an even heavier emphasis on senior game film, production, and verified track data since we were unable to evaluate anyone from that class in a live setting.”
It seemed a bevy of schools followed that same approach as Canady began to receive scholarship offers from many FBS schools, including Power Five program Maryland. It was due to his 11 total touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 12 pass breakups, and a litany of personal awards that surely piqued colleges’ interest in Canady.
But for Canady, none of that mattered unless the team was successful. However, that doesn’t always mean wins and losses for Canady. It’s all part of the bigger picture.
“Team success is extremely important to me,” Canady told Pro Football Network. “It’s why we play the game. It’s the end goal that we all strive for. It also offers encouragement and motivation to keep our morale high, amidst all the challenges. Through all the frustration, obstacles, and pain, team success makes it all worth it in the end.”
Thanks in large part to Canady, Sandalwood made the 8A Florida Playoffs in the 2020 season. After defeating Flagler Palm Coast in the Regional quarterfinals, the Saints were tasked with perennial powerhouse Seminole High School from Central Florida. Despite dropping their Regional semifinal matchup against the eventual state champion Seminole team, Canady continued to impress.
Canady did not allow a single catch in coverage against Seminole. He chipped away at the lead with two touchdowns on offense himself, finishing with three receptions for 75 yards.
It was Canady who gave Sandalwood a chance. It was Canady who quietly carried the Saints. It was Canady who worked hard to get his team as far as they did in 2020. And it was Canady who ultimately reaped the biggest rewards.
Humility and Persistence Pay Off for Canady
After his quiet high school dominance was behind him, more offers began to pile in. And on the Early Signing Day period, Canady committed to Tulane, signing his letter of intent just three weeks after the Green Wave had offered him a scholarship. For Canady, it was more than football that sold Tulane for him.
“Tulane offered everything that is needed to be successful both on and off the field,” Canady said. “A great coaching staff that welcomed me only through my film and the word of one of their own — Parry Nickerson — when COVID prevented visits. My parents and I also love the fact that it’s a top academic university as well, which will help me after football is over.”
Tulane securing Canady saw immediate rewards in 2021 and those likely wouldn’t have been possible without a very specific member of the coaching staff.
“Coach JJ (McCleskey) played a huge part in my decision to come to Tulane because we talked both football and academics,” Canady said. “He wasn’t just selling me on a dream of the NFL because there’s a lot of life after the game. His experience in both the NFL and in life will give me a head start on my own life.”
“It’s 40 quarters, not 4 quarters that I want to play.”
That relationship, both personal and business-like in nature, certainly wouldn’t have been built without Tulane Defensive Analyst J.J. McCleskey. The Green Wave defensive back coach has helped turn around the Tulane secondary in a few short years, and Canady has certainly been an integral part of this growth.
In his first season, Canady finished fourth on the team in tackles (55) and made two interceptions from the nickel cornerback spot. Even though playing the nickel was something new to him entirely, it became something that allowed him to show off his work ethic and grind that got him to where he is today.
“He’s a very talented guy and playing in that nickel during his first year was a great segway for him because I think it opened up more of what he can do,” Sheppard said. “I know he can lock down on the outside. He’s been learning how to play the game within the game and doing a lot of film study. With that, he finds a lot of opportunities in the game.”
His opportunities came and he seized them in 2021, but Canady and the Green Wave are just getting started.
Canady Refuses to Rest on His Laurels
For some, a dominant freshman season would be enough to carry their collegiate career. For Canady, however, it’s just the beginning. While not attending classes this spring or in the weight room this summer, Canady spent his offseason in Miami, training with one of the country’s top defensive back coaches, Chad Wilson.
Among his famous pupils, Wilson’s two sons — Quincy and Marco — were each NFL draft picks. Wilson currently trains some of the NFL’s top defensive backs, including Dallas Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs, Miami Dolphins CB Xavien Howard, Pittsburgh Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick, Denver Broncos CB Patrick Surtain II, and New York Jets S Marcus Maye, among many others.
With the bevy of stars to come through his doors at All Eyes DB Camp, Canady’s work ethic was put on full display. Very few rising sophomores are willing to go to such lengths to hone their craft and work this hard in the offseason. But it all comes naturally to Canady.
“He’s always been a hard worker,” Sheppard said. “Seeing him run track and his work ethic there. How hard he wanted to win. How hard he wanted to succeed in track. When he wanted to play football, it was a no-brainer that he was going to give it all he had and I wanted to give him everything I could.”
It’s that kind of work ethic that separates the freshman All-American from others. It’s what separates Jadon Canady from a great freshman season to Preseason AAC Defensive Player of the Year.
“I’m not resting on last season’s performance because I know I’m much better than what the numbers showed,” Canady said.
That’s the attitude that takes a player from good to great. It’s that kind of work ethic that turned heads while working with a group of NFLers that included Patrick Surtain Jr., Tyson Campbell, Bobby McCain, Mitchell Trubisky, and Parry Nickerson, among others.
And that’s the kind of attitude that will propel Jadon Canady into big things in this life. On and off the field.
