2026 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Jaiden Francois, LB/S, Duke University

• Name: Jaiden Francois
• Position: LB/S
• College: Duke University
• Height: 5′ 10 1/2″
• Weight: 190 lbs
• X: @jfrancois2_
• Instagram: @j.francois2_

What made you decide you wanted to be a football player?

I’ve been playing football since I was five years old so I feel like where I’m from. That was kind of like the way of life and just growing up like I looked up to a lot of guys and all the guys in the neighborhood were playing football so they inspired me.

What are your favorite moments from your football life?

I’ll start from high school. Well, my junior year I caught 12 interceptions, so I got the Miami-Dade County interception record. Overall, my best moment will be from Duke just winning the ACC championship my last year I do I feel like that’s not something that a lot of people can say in their football careers so just going out there and competing and battling it out knowing that. We did what we had to do to get the job done and ultimately that was a great feeling.

If you could hang out with any football player past or present, who and why?

I would say Sean Taylor, because you know he’s actually from where I’m from so just seeing how he looked at the game and different things he looked at to get better, he’s a dog and obviously like everyone knows what he did so I feel like just hanging out with him for a day that would be cool.

What is your favorite defensive scheme and why?

I will say a 4-2-5 just because you get more defensive backs on the field and  I feel like having a nickel in the game obviously can show how versatile he is. You can just bring in different types of pressures. And you can kinda get exotic. I feel like there’s a lot of stuff you can run out of it.

What stands out about your film the most?

The biggest thing that stands out about my film is just the physicality I play with and the effort even if the ball is not coming my way. When you put my tape on it’s just relentless effort even if it’s a bad play, you will never catch me just giving up on play. So I feel like just the passion I play with.

What should we know about Jaden Francois the person?

I would say a nonchalant type guy like I never get too high, I never get too low about things I mean like off the field a lot of guys they just come to me where they see me as just that chill dude like I’m not really going to say much so I feel like I’m more of an observer. You know that I don’t say a lot, but when I do speak it’s kind of powerful.

What do you love the most about the game of football?

I would say the physicality. My coach, there’s a joke here he will always say to us “oh, it’s a legal crime”. So you know just going out there and being able to go hit people for fun and to just inflict pain on others I feel like that’s the fun part about it. And just really being out there with a group of guys that all have the same goal.

What would the team get in a player like you?

A team will get a player willing to just put everything on line for the team. You know I will always put the team first, just making different sacrifices even if it’s like moving me around and putting me at a different position. You know I’ll do that, anything to make the team better. And ultimately they’re going to get a leader. I’ve never been one of those vocal guys, but you know for sure I will lead by example. And just being a good locker room guy you know just even if I see that my team is having a bad day you know I just I’ve kind of been a guy that just likes to go check on someone on the side not a friend of everyone but you know like “hey brother like are you good” just things like that. So I’ll just say I’m just an overall good guy on and off the field.

Who is the most underrated player you’ve played with and why?

I would say the quarterback I played with last year. His name is Bryson Barnes from Utah State he’s a pretty good quarterback, but I feel like the conference he played was in the Mountain West and he didn’t get a lot of respect, so I feel like he just got overlooked and that guy’s a dog.