Jonathan Vega '17 Recruiting Profile
Video
Senior Year Highl...2016 Highlights2016 Spring Game2015 Highlights
2015 Highlights
Game HighlightsPersonal Statement
My name is Jonathan Vega and I love to play football because it is fun and challenging. It is a sport where I can use my size and strength to my advantage. When I started going to Ridge Community High School and started playing football something clicked, I mean I love studying and have great academics, but I figured why not use what I have to try and get a college education. I would love to play College Football and like anyone else that plays we all have dreams about the NFL. But my education is the most important thing and I believe playing football will help me achieve that. And if I make it to the NFL someday I will consider that a bonus. I want to use football as a vehicle for College and beyond.
I love playing sports when I was very young I played soccer for 3 years then I started doing Tae Kwon Do along with my Dad to the point that I am a Second
Academics is very important in our house. My mom is a teacher for almost 30 years so she has always kept a strong grip on my brother and me regarding our grades and keeping a high level of excellence. I take all honors and advance placement classes such as Geometry, English, Biology all honors classes and Advanced Placement World History. These classes have provided me with intellectual challenges daily allowing me to keep my mind sharp on and off the field.
Hard work is all about the will and the drive to get it done, that helps us to win games on the field and in life. Our coaches pour into us as well as our teachers and parents and mentors we look up to. So I have learned to pour into others as well. Working in the community and helping others reminds me that it is not always about the Grind. Personally I have worked with different churches in my community helping to feed the hungry by passing out hundreds of bags of groceries and have gone to homes for the elderly on many instances to cheer up and encourage people.
I have a lot of goals for college, not only would I love to play football in College but I would love to make the Dean's list in college, to graduate with honors and have a strong foundation for my future. I would make a good candidate for any college team because I am dependable, I never quit. My mom and dad have taught me that character is when you do the right thing when no one is watching, My coaches on any level can depend on me to always do the right thing. I am a strong athlete with brains as well so I know how to think and analyze things so I can help my coaches. Academically I will always do things with excellence my coach will never have to worry if my GPA will be adequate for me to play. There will never be any doubt in that regard.
Our tenants in Tae Kwon Do are Character, Integrity, Perseverance, Self Control, Indomitable Spirit. Why would you want me as a Candidate? Because I have learned to live my life with excellence and I will not settle for anything less at the next level.
Athletics
High School Information
- Years w/ Varsity
- 2 years
- Varsity Starter
- 2 years
- 2015 Varsity Team
- Starter- Jersey: #68
- 2014 Varsity Team
- Starter- Jersey: #64
- 2013 Junior Varsity Team
- Starter- Jersey: #66
Coach References
- High School Assistant Coach
- Devrett Wade
- High School Head Coach
- Richard Tate
- Position Coach
- Timothy Kraemer
Events
- Camp/Event
- Blue - Grey All American Bowl
- 1/12/17 to 1/14/17
- I had the opportunity to play with the Grey Squad vs the Blue Squad in Ever Bank Field home of the Jacksonville Jaguars. We also had the joy of winning the game 27-7 and winning the Championship. I got meet awesome players from all over the country as well as get coached by Coach Gray former Jacksonville Jaguar and Coach Gerry Wunsch former Buccanneer Offensive Lineman. It was an unforgettable week for us as players. I made a lot of friends for life.
- Camp/Event
- Marcus Dixon McInerney All American Bowl
- 12/27/16 to 12/31/17
- I got to be part of the Black Squad and played against the Red Squad and we won the Championship 34-18. I got to play with and against some of the best players in the country and I had the privilege of being coached by Coach Elton Brown former NFL Arizona Cardinal and his staff. It was an unforgettable experience from the practices to the game and to the friendships. This was truly special.
- Camp/Event
- McElwain Football Camps O-line vs D-Line Big Man Gators Football Camp
- 7/23/16 to 7/23/16
- What a fantastic camp. We were able to tour the locker room when we had our weight in and height check. We got a chance to check out the Gator Room where the National Championship trophies are on display that was a great treat. The camp itself was awesome! We had a chance to do 4 circuits of 3 different O-line techniques from footwork to hand placement to how to recognize different defensive schemes. And what was great was getting to work with the whole complement of offensive line coaches. The whole O-line Staff was involved. I learned so much. Then we went from their training facility back across the street to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium "The Swamp" and finished the evening with our one on one's vs the defensive line. It was high energy the whole entire time. There was no dead air time whatsoever we were moving from station to station. It was done as a typical Gators practice. Coach McElwain came out and greeted us and it was great to meet him.
- Camp/Event
- Sunday Night Showdown
- 7/17/16 to 7/17/16
- What an awesome camp! The energy level was off the charts. We got to do the usual warm ups before beginning the combine type drills. We did a smokehouse 40 and I ran very fast, I was able to hit 84 inches in my broad jump! 7 feet! Not bad for a 339 pound Center! We then went right to work with our position coaches and the O-line Coach there at UWF Coach Steve Saulnier is awesome and worked with us hands on with plenty of drills showing us technique after technique that I have no doubt in my mind that I came out of there a better football player overall. Also we did a tug of war but with a tire and that was brutal but so much fun specially since I won but I was totally spent. Wow is all I have to say about my experience at UWF.
- Camp/Event
- FBU Top Gun National Showcase
- 7/14/16 to 7/16/16
- We came from all over the country 45 States Represented. I got the opportunity to learn along side the best offensive linemen in the United States. Everything in this camp was position specific to every position in a football team. I learned new techniques and also honed some technique that I already knew but can stand to improve. The atmosphere was electric and I am thankful that I was chosen from my region in Florida to attend this by invitation only event.
- Camp/Event
- Polk County Football Rising Stars Skills Camp and Trench Warfare Linemen's Camp
- 7/10/16 to 7/10/16
- I had the opportunity to work on position specific drills designed to make me a better lineman. We also got to work on agility drills and also specifically on speed. We had a former NFL player work with us on proper technique when running the 40 yard dash. I learned a lot.
- Camp/Event
- Ron Turner Football Camp (Florida International University)
- 6/19/16 to 6/19/16
- The camp from start to finish was awesome. The camp was run in College Football Style where we went station to station doing all kinds of agility drills, to the 40 yard dash, vertical leap etc. Then we were able to work with our position coaches and that was also fantastic in that they worked with us in our techniques and I learned a lot of new things. But as we were executing the one on one drills the coaches were quick to correct us and help us make necessary adjustments on the fly so that we could get better on the moment of execution. The camp ran like a well oiled machine and it was lots of fun. It was great meeting Coach Turner and his offensive line coach/ offensive coordinator Coach Steve Shankweiler
- Camp/Event
- Orange and Blue Football Camp
- 6/17/16 to 6/17/16
- It was a great camp. We did combine events such as the 40 yard dash and the shuttle run. We did star drills and also we did a lot of technique work. Though I am an offensive lineman and got to work hard on new techniques and techniques I already know, we also did crossover training where I got to work on defensive techniques as well. So I enjoyed learning new things from both sides of the ball. The one on ones are always my favorite part and we did quite a bit of one on ones. I also got to meet and congratulate the new Head Coach Erik Raburn. It was a fantastic camp.
- Camp/Event
- Day at The Bay
- 6/04/16 to 6/04/16
- It was 100+ degrees on that day! But the hotter it got the harder we went. We did a full fledged practice as it would be done in any Division 1 type setting. Every station for drills from speed drills to position drills was timed and we were constantly moving no dead air time whatsoever. I enjoyed all of it particularly working with Coaches from both University of South Florida and University of Michigan. I learned a lot of new techniques for my position as an O-line man from hand placement to footwork. It was awesome! We also did our one on ones and that was fun because I got to compete against JUCO athletes that are trying to get noticed as possible transfers from a 2 year college to a 4 year college. The highlight of the camp was meeting both Coach Willie Taggart and Coach Jim Harbaugh and performing my one on ones in front of them and winning each and everyone of them. I will never forget that.
- Camp/Event
- Jacksonville University X Georgia Tech 2017 Prospect Camp
- 6/03/16 to 6/03/16
- I had the best time doing combine events from the shuttle run, the vertical jump, the 40 yard dash and all kinds of position drills geared for the offensive line. I did great in the one on ones I was completely successful. Plus I got to meet great coaches. Coach Tom Freeman O-Line Coach at Jacksonville University as well as their head coach Coach Ian Shields. And from Georgia Tech I got to meet Coach Paul Johnson. It was a fantastic event.
- Camp/Event
- FBU Regional Camp
- 4/22/16 to 4/24/16
- The camp was position specific to my skill set as an offensive lineman. Coach McNally taught us about hand placement, foot fire, duck demeanor where you keep your feet rooted behind you and your head out of the block as you lift the defender. The one on ones pitted us against defensive linemen and we were able to practice the techniques we were taught. I also liked being able to see a lot of the players from last year and that was great to see. We also had seminars on what colleges expect and how the recruitment process works. It was a great experience.
- Camp/Event
- VTO Sports Elite 100
- 4/17/16 to 4/17/16
- Awesome Camp! Position Specific Drills for Offensive Linemen. I specially loved the One on Ones. I was privileged to be in the top 4 linemen in today's camp. I can't wait for the next camp. Getting better to become the best that is the name of the game. Thank you Coach Vince!
- Camp/Event
- Prep Football America National Collegiate Combine
- 2/20/16 to 2/20/16
- We had a great time. We did NFl Combine events, 40 yard dash, Agility Shuttle, L-Drill, Standing Broad Jump and the 185 pound Bench Press for Max Reps. I improved in every even from the previous combines. That is so exciting. Then we got to do position drills. In my case I got to do O-line Drills. I learned a lot. But my favorite part was the one on ones Offense Line vs Defensive Line. I had my share of pancakes. It was a fantastic Combine.
- Camp/Event
- Nike+Football "The Opening"
- 2/14/16 to 2/14/16
- I had the opportunity today to compete in the 40 yard dash (improved my time from last combine), the shuttle run, power ball toss (33 feet) and the vertical jump. It was a great time to be with other athletes from all over the state of Florida and compete. I am getting better and better and I am excited to take those improvements and apply them on the football field.
- Camp/Event
- VTO Sports Combine
- 2/07/16 to 2/07/16
- I had the opportunity to participate with other great athletes and so the 40 yard dash, the 20 yard shuttle, the L Drill, Vertical Jump and the 185 pound Bench. Then we had the opportunity to do one on ones doing different kinds of elite drills that were lots of fun. There were some new drills that I had never seen before that were a lot of fun and I will take back to my football coach to see if we can do them with our team. I also had the distinction of winning the bench station with 22 reps today. Because of today's performance I have been invited to the Elite 100 next month. I look forward to being there and doing my very best.
- Camp/Event
- Blue-Grey All American Southeast Regional Combine
- 1/09/16 to 1/09/16
- Jonathan had a great combine. He did well on his bench press and on his shuttle run and broad jump. We need to work on his 40. He did well with the O-line drills and did fantastic on his one on ones. He really enjoyed the interaction with the former NFL players that manned each event. He had several coaches looking at him. We can't wait for the next event. However we have work to do until then.
- Camp/Event
- Down and Dirty Lineman's Camp
- 6/23/15 to 6/25/15
- Worked on proper stances and technique. We got to do contact drills and one on ones. Board drills were my favorite part. I had a chance to work on both offense and defense.
- Camp/Event
- FBU Regional Camp
- 4/24/15 to 4/26/15
- Worked with Coach McNally former offensive line coach of the Buffalo Bills on drills promoting footwork, posture and hand placement. Coach McNally used the term Duck Demeanor when teaching the technique. Lot's of film in the classroom and solid practices on the field implementing the techniques as well as applying them against the defensive linemen. Awesome Camp!
- Camp/Event
- FBU Regional Combine
- 3/14/15 to 3/14/15
- Jonathan went and did the shuttle run, long jump and 40 yard dash. He also did one on ones offensive linemen vs defensive linemen. Had a great first combine.
Training
- Wrestling Team
- 1 year
- Trained with the wrestling team during the 2015 season for conditioning.
- Weight Lifting Team
- 2 years
- In the 2015 and 2016 seasons competed in meets against other high schools.
- Tae Kwon Do
- 5 years
- I have trained in Tae Kwon Do for 5 years. I am a Second Dan (Degree) Black Belt in the United States Chung Do Kwan Association. I am a 6 time Regional, State and National Champion withing the USCDKA. I have medals for all areas of competition in Tae Kwon Do. I am also a Certified Teen Instructor of Tae Kwon Do in the USCDKA.
Statistics
Academics
Grades
Test Scores
Academic Accomplishments
Are you in honor classes?
Yes. English Honors, Geometry Honors, Biology HonorsAre you in AP/IB classes?
Yes. World HistoryRegistered with the NCAA Eligibility Center?
YesAwards and Activities
- AwardsPresident's Education Award for Academic Excellence 2013, Junior National Honor Society, High Honors Award 2013-2014 for maintaining a 3.5 or higher GPA, High Honors Award 2014-2015 for maintaining a 3.5 or higher GPA.
- ActivitiesSigma Alpha Sigma, Bolts Leadership Academy (mentoring Freshmen)
Top NCSA Athletes at Ridge Community High School
Top NCSA Athletes in Area
