Former Jaguars S Donovin Darius has been named No. 16 on the Jaguars All-25, the club announced today. Jaguars All-25 is a collection of the top 25 non-active players in franchise history, as voted on by members of the Jacksonville media.
“I want to say, ‘Thank you’ to the Jaguars organization and everyone that selected me to be a part of the All-25 team,” said Darius. “It was an honor and a privilege to play in front of such great fans in a great community. I had a great time in Jacksonville and go Jags!”
Darius, 6-1, 225, was selected 25th overall in the 1998 NFL Draft by the Jaguars. He started all 115 games he appeared in for Jacksonville from 1998-2006, including four seasons in which he started all 16 games. He totaled 858 career tackles, seven forced fumbles and six fumbles recovered with Jacksonville. Darius’ 858 tackles rank third in Jaguars history, while his 20 takeaways are the second-most in franchise history. He produced more than 100 tackles in each of his first seven seasons and he led the team with a career-high five INTs in 2004. The former Syracuse product signed a one-day contract in 2011 to retire as a Jaguar.
“The guy took great pride in his body and he built himself to be a battering ram,” said Brian Sexton, Jaguars senior correspondent and an All-25 voting member. “That’s what he was for most of his career. Battering rams don’t make the hall of fame, but battering rams make a huge impact in the game and he did.”
Currently, Darius lives in the Jacksonville area and serves as a transition leadership coach for corporations and teams where he speaks about how to work towards a championship mindset and develop peak performance. He is the founder and president of the Donovin Darius Foundation, a Jacksonville-based, nonprofit organization that hosts life camps and mentorship to people in the areas of personal leadership and life skills. In 2017, he wrote a book entitled “Next Level Motivation – Principles for Living Life to the Fullest.”
The Jaguars’ silver celebration kicked off in mid-March with the start of the new league year and the unveiling of the team’s 25th season commemorative logo designed to embody the spirit of DUUUVAL.
JAGUARS ALL-25:
16. SS Donovin Darius (1998-2006)
17. TE Kyle Brady (1999-2006)
18 G Vince Manuwai (2003-10)
19. LB Mike Peterson (2003-08)
20. CB Aaron Beasley (1996-2001)
21. K Josh Scobee (2004-14)
22. DT Gary Walker (1999-2001)
23. QB David Garrard (2002-10)
24. DE Joel Smeenge (1995-2000)
25. G Chris Naeole (2002-07)
