Donovin Darius

Donovin Darius was a Woodrow Wilson High School football star who played 11 seasons as an NFL safety with the Jacksonville Jaguars after a fine career at Syracuse University. He set a Syracuse record for tackles by a defensive back with 379. He had a well-deserved reputation as one of the hardest “clean” hitters in college football. He was a Big East All-Conference player in 1995 and 1996, and also lettered in indoor and outdoor hurdles, graduating in 1997 with a degree in exercise science and a minor in coaching. Darius was selected 25th overall in the 1998 draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The highest pick ever by the team for a defensive back, he was named to the All-Rookie team and led Jaguar defensive backs with 108 tackles in 14 games.

In 1999 he switched to strong safety. He was named by Jacksonville as a franchise player in 2003. In 2004, Darius led the secondary in tackles for a seventh straight season and posted career highs in forced fumbles and interceptions. A season ending injury in 2005 stopped his consecutive start streak at 37. On November 20, 2006, during a game against the New York Giants, he broke his leg and missed the rest of the 2006 season. He currently serves on the NFL Players Association Executive Committee.

Darius was born August 12, 1975 in Camden, New Jersey. He stood 6′1″ and weighed 225 pounds. He was drafted in the 1998 first round, 25th pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars, and attended Syracuse University.