The Oklahoman’s Super 30: De'Von Jordan leads with ‘caring spirit’ from family to football
TULSA — De'Von Jordan invites a different loyal fan whenever he visits a college campus.
As they tour the polished locker rooms and massive stadiums, Jordan looks beyond his personal journey. The Tulsa Union defensive back strives to instill confidence in each guest.
“One day, this can be you,” Jordan says.
The toughest part is choosing the person to join him each time.
That’s because Jordan has 10 younger siblings.
Jordan and his aunt, Bridgette Jacobs, try to make sure everyone gets a fair turn to tag along on recruiting trips to big-time Division I football venues. To Jacobs, it’s no surprise to see Jordan embracing his role as an inspirational older brother.
“I just have always known that this could be him,” Jacobs said, “and have always tried to encourage him to be the best that he could.”
But Jordan doesn’t need much urging.
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Jordan, whose first name is pronounced “DAY-von,” motivates himself on his way to a Division I career. Ranked No. 3 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 list of the state’s best prospects in the 2024 class, he has grown into a shutdown cornerback, someone who stops teams from throwing the ball in his direction because they know he’s likely to intercept it.
He has offers from many SEC and Big 12 programs, but Jordan finds his greatest calling away from the football field.
Wherever he goes, he seeks opportunities to lead with compassion.
“That’s just him,” Jacobs said. “It’s embedded in him, and it’s a more natural thing than it is anything else.”
Jordan picks up his siblings in his car and brings them together for church. In the locker room, he talks to teammates about not only defensive schemes, but also life lessons. At home, the aspiring veterinarian cares for his motley crew of pets, which includes a bearded dragon, an albino python and a hedgehog.
“The only thing I’ve told him is I want to stay away from that snake,” said Union coach Kirk Fridrich.
Although Fridrich isn’t ready to embrace a reptile as a team mascot, he respects Jordan’s eclectic personality.
Football is in the foreground of the star defensive back’s life, yet it’s only a piece of the mosaic.
His unique background has shaped him. Jordan’s aunt adopted him when he was a child, so he moved from a Tulsa Public Schools district into the Union district.
They stay connected to his biological mother as well, and between both sides of his family, Jordan is the oldest of 11 siblings. Although they don’t all live together, Jordan constantly makes time for his brothers and sisters, training his brothers who also play football.
“I had to grow up fast, mature fast for my siblings,” Jordan said.
At home, Jacobs instilled the importance of positive leadership in him.
When Jordan joined Tulsa Union’s football team, it was like he had an even bigger family, and he put the lessons from his aunt into action. As a senior-to-be, he is acting as an older-brother-like figure for teammates, too.
Fridrich has noticed.
“He’s trying to step into a role of not just understanding what he’s supposed to do and take care of himself,” Fridrich said, “but also trying to teach younger kids the way we do things in our program.
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“Whether it’s how we work in the weight room or things off the field and even within some of the different defensive coverages that we use, he’s definitely trying to learn that aspect so that he can be that kind of leader in multiple ways.”
Jordan said he is trying to be a team captain this season, and he has prepared his message for the selection meeting.
After going undefeated until falling to Owasso in a six-overtime state semifinal game last year, Union’s star-studded Class 6A-I team is looking for another chance at a gold ball, and Jordan embraces the chase. He doesn’t just strive to help his teammates know right from wrong – he welcomes constructive feedback from them, too, he said.
As Jordan pursues his college dreams, he’s showing the Redhawks where perseverance can guide them.
His offer from OU marked the point when his recruitment skyrocketed.
“After that, they just started flowing,” Jordan said, “and everything else started going fast.”
Initially, Jordan planned to commit before his senior season, but he decided he won’t rush it because midseason visits await. Already, several schools have made impressions.
He has selected his top 10: Alabama, Iowa State, Kansas State, Miami, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.
OSU’s campus stuck in his mind. So did OU coach Brent Venables’ personable nature. At Texas A&M, the facilities jumped out.
“I have never seen a stadium that big,” Jordan said.
Since Tulsa Union’s stadium resembles that of a college, his statement means something.
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But for Jordan, the decision isn’t all about football. He is set on finding a university with a major in the veterinary field, so he asks about this on every visit, he said.
From rescuing a snapping turtle on the road when he was a child to building an ant farm as a teenager, Jordan has consistently loved zoology just as much as football. It’s not the only field of study he enjoys – he also takes business courses at Union.
“It’s something different every day,” Jacobs said. “It’s been a roller coaster ride, but it’s been so fun just to see him light up about learning.”
Academic programs, facilities and coaches all contribute to Jordan’s decision, and as his choice approaches, he thinks about his siblings.
“I’m not worried about going far,” Jordan said. “I’m not worried about being by myself. My little brother just came over here (to Union) – that’s what I worry about is being away from them, because I train them, and I just want to make sure they’re right when I’m gone.”
No matter how far he travels, Jordan is dedicated to being a mentor.
And until he heads off to college, he continues to share the words of affirmation with his siblings as they join him on campus visits.
De'Von Jordan believes: in a higher power, in his family, in his teammates.
He wants others to do the same.
“He does have a really caring spirit about him,” Fridrich said. “Some humility is what he has. That humility allows him to serve and want to take care of his younger brothers, those kind of things. I’m able to see that happen.”
More: A look at The Oklahoman's 2024 Super 30 high school football recruiting series
The Oklahoman’s 2024 Super 30
Name: De'Von Jordan
School: Tulsa Union
Super 30 ranking: No. 3
Height: 6-foot-0
Weight: 170 pounds
Position: Defensive back
Recruited by: Alabama, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Miami, Missouri, Louisiana-Monroe, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, SMU, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas State, Tulsa, Vanderbilt
About the series
The Oklahoman’s Super 30 feature series will spotlight each high school football player on the Super 30 recruiting rankings for the 2024 class. The series continued Monday with No. 3, De'Von Jordan of Tulsa Union. See No. 2 on the list in Tuesday’s edition of The Oklahoman. Here are the last five players we’ve featured. Here are the last five players we’ve featured:
No. 7: Cooper Alexander, TE, Washington
No. 6: DaMontre Patterson, WR/DB, Sulphur
No. 5: Mykel Patterson-McDonald, DB, Westmoore
No. 4: Xavier Robinson, RB, Carl Albert
No. 3: De'Von Jordan, DB, Tulsa Union
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma HS football: De'Von Jordan, Tulsa Union recruiting profile
