Male Athlete OF THE YEAR
JONATHAN ADAMS
JONESBORO HIGH SCHOOL WHY HE WON:
Jonathan Adams is not a typical athlete. The Jonesboro High School senior showcased his athleticism in not one, not two, but three sports as a member of the Jonesboro Golden Hurricane, playing football and basketball and participating in track. These accomplishments have earned him the honor of All-Arkansas Preps Male Athlete of the Year for 2017.
Adams lit up the scoreboard in football this season, racking up 1,402 yards on 76 receptions for 26 receiving touchdowns. He added a rushing touchdown to his total as well. Adams was named by the Little Rock Touchdown Club as the Arkansas High School 6A Player of the Year in 2016.
In basketball, the elite defender not only defended the opposing team’s No. 1 option most of the time, regardless of position, but he also put up 12.5 points per game and led the team in rebounds with 7.5 boards per game. As if the numbers themselves don’t show Adams’ dedication and determination, he also led the Golden Hurricane in charges taken with 31, giving it his all on the court. Adams would help lead the Hurricanes to an undefeated 32-0 season, Jonesboro High School’s first undefeated season since 1954, and a state title. The team finished the season ranked No. 5 in the nation on the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 list.
The 6-3, 205-pound athlete finished the year strong on the track, winning a conference championship in high jump at a height of 6-4, and long jump at 21-11½ feet. He went on to win the state title in long jump, too, and finish third in the state in high jump.
Jonesboro Athletic Director David Daniel said he believes Adams has even more to show people at the next level.
“I don’t think we’ve seen the best of Jonathan Adams yet. He’s just a tremendous young man and a great competitor, but I don’t know that we’ve seen the best of him yet,” Daniel said. “If he goes and does what we think he’s capable of doing, he’ll have the opportunity to play in the NFL.”
Daniel added that the success that has accompanied Adams has not affected his quiet and humble attitude. Daniel described Adams as a hardworking leader who still has the confidence to outplay nearly anyone. Along with Adams’ incredible athletic gifts, he is also studious. He boasts a 3.35 cumulative grade-point average and is in the top third of his class. His mother, Zandra Clayton, said his drive for academics has been present since he was young.
“Jonathan’s a great student. Back when he was in the fifth grade, he actually had a basketball tournament in AAU, and he had a math quiz bowl. He chose to go to that math quiz bowl,” she said. “He missed the first game. He was more excited about winning, I think it was third place, in the quiz bowl than he was about winning first place in the basketball tournament. I knew right then his head was definitely on the right track.”
Clayton said she has encouraged Adams to continue to stay grounded on the field and in the classroom at the next level. She reminds him kids are looking at him as a role model. She added that she was proud of him for winning the award.
“I’m honored as far as him being my son. I’m honored to even be going through this experience with him and guiding him through this,” she said. “It’s cool because not only is he experiencing this, but he’s allowing me to experience this with him.”
Adams will continue to display his athleticism on the football field at Arkansas State University. His father, Jonathan Adams Sr., excelled at Arkansas State as a running back from 1998 to 2001, where he had two 1000-yard rushing seasons and is still the fourth all-time leading rusher for the school with 3,005 career rushing yards.
Daniel said he hopes for the best for Adams as an athlete and a person.
“My overall aspirations are for him to be the very best person every day that he can be. I want him to be the best teammate, the best leader, the best husband, the best father, a great businessman,” Daniel said.
It’s an honor to win this award [among] all these athletes here in Arkansas. Everything I did, I couldn’t have done without my team, though.”