A Second Chance on the Field: How a High School Student-Athlete’s Academic Journey Led to the NFL and a New Company
Naquan Jones had the talent to play college football, but his dream was almost cut short. A tragic loss, academic struggles, and a lack of awareness about NCAA eligibility rules nearly cost him a career. His story is not just one of personal resilience; it inspired the creation of a company that helps countless other student-athletes avoid the same fate.
Naquan Jones was a top-rated defensive tackle at Evanston Township High School, attracting attention from major college programs. However, what coaches didn’t see was his academic transcript, which was holding him back. Naquan was not on track to meet the NCAA’s eligibility requirements. He was short on required credits, his GPA in core classes was too low, and he hadn’t achieved the necessary ACT score. For Naquan, an athletic scholarship was just a pipe dream.
His academic struggles began during his freshman year, after his best friend was tragically murdered in an act of gun violence. This devastating loss manifested in his grades, and he failed several core courses. He had no plan to recover, and even the summer school classes he passed wouldn’t count toward his NCAA credits.
The Game-Changing Plan
Everything changed when Naquan’s high school academic advisor, Joyce Anderson, dug into his transcript and laid out a strategic plan. She saw a path for him to become academically eligible, but it would require immense dedication. The plan included getting him approved for an Education Impacting Disability (EID), taking additional classes after graduation, and re-taking the ACT.
The detailed plan and the support of his community—including Joyce, a comprehensive academic tutoring program run by Kim Michelson, his family, and his high school coaches—gave him a renewed sense of hope. The news of his plan even reached Michigan State University, and the Spartans’ interest fueled his motivation.
Joyce recalled a meeting with Michigan State coaches. She expected them to take the lead in planning his academic recovery, but instead, they turned to her. “Alright Joyce,” Coach Mark Dantonio said, “it’s your show. Tell us what Naquan needs to do to get to Michigan State.” This moment was a wake-up call for Joyce: student-athletes needed to take charge of their academic planning, and technology could help.
Despite a minor setback when he missed a re-take of the ACT, Naquan persevered. With the support of his mother and grandmother, he graduated high school and finally earned the grades and test scores needed to achieve NCAA academic redshirt qualifier status.
From College Standout to the NFL
Naquan’s hard work paid off. He went on to play for Michigan State, where he had a standout career, racking up 77 tackles. His performance caught the attention of the Tennessee Titans, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2021. He was named to the active roster that September.
Naquan’s journey is a cautionary tale for all student-athletes, he said. “The fact that my journey inspired the creation of Honest Game to blow open the doors of college access and opportunity for millions of student-athletes is simply huge and would make my mother so proud.”
When Joyce and Kim realized how many students faced the same avoidable academic pitfalls as Naquan, they were inspired to create Honest Game. Their software automates the process of tracking a student’s academic eligibility and creates a clear path to recovery, accessible from the beginning of high school.
Today, Naquan’s story is a powerful reminder that an athlete’s potential on the field is only as strong as their foundation in the classroom.