Nate Jones: Finding His Way by Working Hard and Being a Good Person

COMMERCE CITY – Nate Jones is a massive human being. He’s also soft spoken and self aware. The 6’3″ center back is in his rookie year with Colorado Rapids. He’s made five starts for Rapids 2, four of which were MLS NEXT Pro games.

Rapids 2 drew LAFC 2 last month 1-1, then lost 3-4 in penalties. It was Jones’ first start at home. Adrian Wibowo scored the opener, with Jones out of position at the start of the sequence. Wayne Frederick drew a penalty which captain Marlon Vargas converted with 15 minutes to go. In the shootout, Sebastian Anderson had his PK saved then Mike Edwards sent his over the bar. Jones was subbed off before full-time.

“I could have defended better. I thought we were holding the line. I need to as a defender, think worst case scenario. Worst case scenario defending, I need to pick up on that,” Jones to Burgundy Wave after that match. A good defender is often a pessimist at their core.

Jones had a mixed performance, similar to the season opener at St. Louis, which R2 won narrowly. He looked better in the wild Open Cup derby loss to Hailstorm. Like Kimani Stewart-Baynes and Wayne Frederick II, he’s still adjusting to life as a professional soccer player.

“Get more games. Be consistent. Do your job every single day. If you keep working and be a good person, you’ll eventually find your way. Even if it isn’t here. I think things will work out,” Jones reflected.

“There’s expectations and you want to fulfill them.”

When asked to describe the player, R2 manager Erik Bushey said “Great character. Hard worker. Willing learner. Those are pretty good foundational pieces to become a great player.”

The character and learning ability were obvious just minutes into his first postgame interview with external media. His tone of voice is unassuming given his imposing stature. It can be easy to assume big center backs, strikers, and goalkeepers can be meatheads. Nate’s got a good head on his large 22-year-old shoulders to go along with being humble and soft-spoken in his first impression.

As he and others at the club have said, he needs playing time to work through his development. Bushey says he needs to become situations where they’re under pressure and trying to build out of the back. He’s been splitting time between the two squads, training with the first team at times but playing mostly with Rapids 2.

The Gig Harbor, Washington native is getting plenty of help from teammates and coaches. He doesn’t feel insulted by being ‘sent down’ to Rapids 2. He’s bringing a positive attitude to a locker room with familiar faces.

“Everybody’s pretty helpful in the organization. In the second team locker room, we have 4-5 Seattle guys who I know from college or pickup, so having that little community has been really helpful.”

“College soccer is more direct, quicker pace, there’s unlimited subs. Here, they’re teaching me to be a better center back. To calm down, to find the passes, to keep my eyes up, to make the right decisions.”

It’s up to the coaches to help refine his skillset and become a master of the basics, as Moïse Bombito has. Mike Edwards and Oliver Larraz have gotten along with him as well. The Washington Husky could get 1500 minutes for the second team, not make his first team debut, and still have 2024 be seen as a success.

He is technically on a one-year deal with club options for 2025, 2026, and 2027. He needs to show progress and the club needs to show he has a near-term path to the first team.

For a kid who grew up in the Seattle area and went to school at UW, he’s had some experiences outside the Pacific Northwest bubble. He spent last summer with Vermont Green FC in USL League Two.

“Vermont was maybe the best decision I made for soccer. I had so much fun. I was there for two months. The owners are so friendly. Their mission of being environmentally green but also being a team for the community is so powerful. They have 3,500 fans at every game. I made a bunch of friends. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. More games and being able to be flexible. You get pushed outside your comfort zone.”

After his junior year, Jones was selected fifth overall in the SuperDraft in December by Austin FC. An hour later, he was traded to the Rapids. He jokes that a bunch of Verde fans followed him on social media, but he has no strong feelings about getting traded on draft day. His agent called him to ask how he’d feel about being traded and he said he didn’t care. He’ll go play wherever.

If Jones maintains that attitude, the future of the center back position is in good hands.

“It’s definitely a lifestyle and a job. Everything becomes regimented. You want to make sure you’re sleeping enough, make sure you’re eating the right things. It’s definitely a career worth having. I get to play soccer as a career, that’s pretty cool.”

Photo Credit: John Babiak

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