“Stay consistent and persevere. Sticking with it even when times get tough.” Those are words Cayden Ashburn Jones uses to describe what football has taught him about life. Six-foot-four Cayden is most certainly a young achiever. He is going into his senior year at Christ School and is already committed to playing football at the University of Alabama next year. He received multiple offers from schools including Duke, Ole Miss, Penn State, the University of North Carolina and Tennessee before he officially committed to Alabama. He says his decision was “because of the overall feeling I had with the coaches and the campus — everything felt super genuine.” Cayden will play the fall season at Christ School and will go on to Alabama in the spring semester to begin practice. He will return to graduate from Christ School in May 2024.

Just 5 years old when he started playing football, Cayden says his favorite part about the game is “the brotherhood you gain from the time you spend with your teammates.” Cayden credits his football-playing older brothers for helping get him into the sport. He also says his father, Howard Jones, played a part in getting him into football as well as being his role model. Cayden says his favorite professional team is the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Cayden stays busy playing for Christ School. He’s played multiple positions for the team, including linebacker, kick returner, quarterback and defensive back. He enjoys playing for Christ School because of the competition. Cayden is extremely dedicated, and his weekly schedule proves it. His schedule consists of workouts Monday through Thursday, lifting at the gym every day, and going to the field for drills as much as he possibly can.

Cayden stays involved in academics at Christ School as well. His favorite subject in school is English because he enjoys writing.

Despite his extremely packed day-to-day, Cayden is skilled at finding balance to help him relax. He enjoys playing video games in his free time, and his favorite way to destress is spending time with his family. He really enjoys going on family vacations.

Cayden is an Asheville native and has lived in Biltmore Park for seven years. He lives with his mom, Alison Lecroy, and his stepdad, Michael Lecroy, on South Braeside. Cayden has two dogs, Simba and Cedric. Cayden also has seven total siblings, a fact he says not many people know about him.

Outside of running drills on the field, playing at Christ School, or simply being out and about in Biltmore Park, Cayden can be seen at his favorite restaurant on Hendersonville Road, a Latin American place called Abejas.

Cayden is extremely motivated toward success and, most importantly, he’s a team player. He’s loyal to his Christ School team and has big goals for the upcoming season. His football season last year was unfortunately cut short due to an injury, but this setback has only motivated Cayden to accomplish more in his senior year. In addition to getting ready to play for Alabama next year, Cayden is focusing on staying healthy and winning a state championship.