Two-time first-team All-American Leon Jones is the only football player in Youngstown State history to be named as a National Player of the Year.
As a junior, he was selected as the Football Gazette Defensive Player of the Year becoming the first player to earn a National Player-of-the-Year award in school history.
He is the only YSU player to have more than 500 tackles in a career finishing with a school-best 512 stops. He led the team in tackles three consecutive years and is the only individual in school history to accomplish that feat. He finished with 13 career interceptions, which still ranks fifth in YSU history.
In 1995, he had 116 tackles, including 95 solo stops, in just 11 games during his senior campaign. A team captain, Jones finished with seven tackles for losses, four forced fumbles, four pass breakups, two interceptions and one sack.
For his efforts, he was named a first-team All-American by the AFCA, The Sports Network and The Walter Camp Foundation, as well as earning second-team recognition from the Football Gazette. He was named YSU’s John Delserone Most Valuable Player his senior year.
During his junior campaign he was tabbed the National Defensive Player of the Year by the Football Gazette. He earned first-team All-America accolades from the AFCA, The Associated Press and the Football Gazette while earning third-team honors from the Sports Network.
The Penguins had an outstanding season finishing the year 14-0-1 and capping it off with a 28-14 win over Boise State in the National Championship Game.
Jones made one of the most memorable plays of his career in the first-round playoff win over Alcorn State. He intercepted a Steve McNair pass and returned 94 yards for a touchdown in the 63-20 nationally-televised victory.
For the year, he had 170 tackles, including 100 solo stops. He broke up 13 passes, had five interceptions and three sacks as well for the year.
As a junior and a senior he was the only Division I-AA linebacker to be named to the Butkus Award "Watch List" during the season.
As a sophomore, Jones burst onto the scene with a career-high 177 tackles, including 103 solo stops. During the season he also broke up seven passes and had five interceptions.
YSU won its second national title in school history capped by a 17-5 win at Marshall in the championship game.
His freshman campaign he had 49 tackles, including 35 solo stops. He had a pass breakup, a forced fumble, a recovered fumble and an interception. The Penguins reached the title game but came up short against the Thundering Herd.
While attending YSU he studied Criminal Justice and earned a bachelor’s in Applied Science. He is currently a nursing home administrator for Windsor House Inc.
Jones was a standout at Hoban High School in Akron before joining the YSU program.
Leon still resides in his hometown of Akron. He has two children, Derick and Jada Jones.
