Maurice Jones-Drew Career

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Jones-Drew's journey began long before he stepped onto an NFL field, rooted in the historic winning streak of De La Salle High School. The Spartans never lost a game during his three-year varsity career, contributing to their record 151-game winning streak. His national consciousness exploded on October 5, 2001, when he scored three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) for De La Salle in a nationally televised victory over Long Beach Poly. In that historic matchup between the nation's No. 1 and No. 2 teams, Jones-Drew launched a spectacular forward somersault into the end zone after breaking a tackle on a short pass. He finished with nine carries for 86 yards and two catches for 79 yards and a touchdown, cementing his reputation as an elusive high-scoring back who could also deliver punishing hits as a linebacker.

In Their Own Story

In his rookie season of 2006, Jones-Drew was initially used mostly for kick-off returns before establishing himself as the Jaguars' primary third-down running back. On December 10 against the Colts, he set a franchise record with 166 rushing yards and 303 all-purpose yards, which included a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. He earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors for that performance and broke team records by scoring at least one rushing touchdown in eight consecutive games. By season's end, he had accumulated 2,250 all-purpose yards and averaged an impressive 5.7 yards per carry, the highest for any NFL running back with 100 attempts since Barry Sanders in 1997. He finished tied for second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting behind Vince Young.

Reader's Guide

The Maurice Jones-Drew era at Jacksonville started with his selection as the 60th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, chosen specifically to eventually replace Fred Taylor. His rookie year showcased immediate impact on special teams and third-down situations, highlighted by a franchise-record 303 all-purpose-yard game against Indianapolis. By his second season in 2007, he had proven his versatility, rushing for 125 yards and two touchdowns against the Houston Texans and scoring in three consecutive weeks later that year. In Week 16 of 2007 against the Oakland Raiders, he recorded 140 scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown in a dominant 49–11 victory. His peak arrived in 2011 when he led the entire NFL in rushing yards, earning his third Pro Bowl selection before playing his final eight seasons with the Jaguars through 2013.

Did You Know?

• Jones-Drew was selected 60th overall in the 2006 NFL draft after all 32 teams passed on him primarily due to his height of 5 ft 6¾ in.
• He scored three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) for De La Salle High School in a historic 29–15 victory over Long Beach Poly on October 5, 2001.
• In his rookie season against the Colts, he set a Jaguars rookie record with 303 all-purpose yards, including a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
• As a junior at UCLA in 2005, he set a UCLA school record with a 28.5-yard average on punt returns.
• He was one of only two players in the NFL in his rookie year to score touchdowns rushing, receiving, and returning kicks.

High School Phenom and the Somersault

Maurice Jones-Drew's high school career at De La Salle High School in Concord, California, was defined by an undefeated three-year varsity run that extended the Spartans' historic 151-game winning streak. He served as a dual-threat player, excelling as an elusive running back and return specialist on offense while playing as a punishing linebacker on defense. His national profile skyrocketed on October 6, 2001, during a nationally televised game against Long Beach Poly, the first-ever matchup between the nation's No. 1 and No. 2 ranked high school teams. Jones-Drew scored all four of De La Salle's touchdowns in the 29–15 victory, including a spectacular forward somersault into the end zone after breaking tackles on a short pass. During his junior season, he rushed for nearly 2,000 yards with an average of almost 12 yards per carry and scored 26 touchdowns, earning him a four-star recruit rating as the No. 1 all-purpose back in the nation.

UCLA Record-Setting All-American

Jones-Drew accepted a football scholarship to UCLA, playing under head coach Karl Dorrell from 2003 to 2005. Despite concerns about his size, he became only the fifth player in Bruins history to lead the team in rushing for three consecutive seasons. In 2005, he set an all-time NCAA single-season record with a 28.5-yard average on 15 punt returns, breaking a mark held since 1951. His career average of 23.2 yards per punt return ranks second in NCAA history. A standout performance against Washington saw him rush for a school-record 322 yards and score five touchdowns, including three scores within the first quarter alone on carries of 47, 62, and 58 yards. He finished his collegiate career as a unanimous All-American and became the first Bruin since Jackie Robinson to lead the country in punt returning.

Jaguars Dominance and NFL Rushing Title

Selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft, Jones-Drew spent eight seasons with the franchise before moving on. He was selected 60th overall after being passed on by all other teams due to his height of 5 ft 6¾ in. During his time in Jacksonville, he earned three Pro Bowl selections and led the NFL in rushing yards in 2011. His rookie season featured a franchise-record 303 all-purpose-yard performance against the Colts on December 10, which included a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. He also became one of only two players in the NFL that year to score at least one touchdown rushing, receiving, and returning kicks. After playing his first eight seasons with the Jaguars through 2013, he concluded his nine-year NFL career with the Oakland Raiders in 2014.

Broadcasting Career and Media Presence

Following his retirement from professional football, Jones-Drew transitioned into broadcasting, leveraging his experience to become a prominent analyst. He served as a football color analyst for NFL Now and other shows on NFL Network. Additionally, he hosted the Monday Night studio show for CBS Sports' UK networks. Currently, he serves as the color analyst for the Los Angeles Rams, continuing to provide expert insight into the game long after his playing days ended with the Raiders in 2014.