Interview by Gainesville High School Senior and Abernathy Cochran Intern John Jessup 

Meet Darius Cannon! Darius is a senior at Gainesville High School and a wide receiver on the football team. He was a huge contributor on the team that made it to the 6A state championship game vs. Langston Hughes. Darius has committed to play football at the University of Kentucky next fall. Darius is the son of Denise and Kipper and has a brother named Desmond and two sisters named Danisha and Dasha. 

Q: What are you looking forward to most about going to Kentucky?

A: “I would say the atmosphere, the people in Kentucky, and how much they love football.”

Q: Please tell us a little bit about you and your family.  

A: “My mom’s name is Denise and my dad is Kipper. I have two sisters named Danisha and Deija, I have an older brother, Desmond and I’m the youngest. Me and my family are really close. They want to see me do the best I can in everything I do. They moved me to Gainesville from White County so I could have a better opportunity to play football in college.”

Q: What’s been your favorite part about being at Gainesville? 

A: “I would say my favorite part is that everybody is like a family at Gainesville. Everybody loves each other, and my coaches just do a lot for everybody and are very supportive.”

Q: What’s one of your favorite Coach Niblett’s sayings? 

A: “You’ve got to do the small things before you can get to the big things.”

Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?

A: “I like Longstreet Cafe and the classic Chick-fil-A.”

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? 

A: “I would go to Bora Bora because that’s always just been a dream place to go there and I want to see the clear blue water.”

Q: What are some of your favorite movies and TV shows? 

A: “My favorite movie is Batman. I just love Batman. I don’t really have a favorite TV show, I normally just watch movies but I enjoy any Marvel movie.”

Q:  Please tell us a little bit about the process of being recruited to Kentucky. When did you start talking to the coaches and how long did that process take? 

A: “First, I went to a Kentucky camp two years ago and I did pretty well there. One of the coaches asked for my number so we were keeping in contact for like a year, and I was talking to them every week but they never offered me. I went to another Kentucky camp and I saw the coaches there. I did well there and then it just went up from there, and about four weeks later they offered me.”

Q: What do you love most about playing Wide Receiver? 

A: “I just like making people miss after the catch.”

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?

A: “Hopefully playing in the NFL, but if not I’d like to start my own business. I think I’m going to major in something at Kentucky where I can make my own clothing brand or something like that.”

Q: Who’s your favorite NFL team right now? 

A: “The Raiders.” 

Q: Who’s your favorite player of all time? 

A: “Stefon Diggs.”

Q: What is something on your bucket list?

A: “Probably win a championship in college.”

Q: Who are some of your favorite musical artists or bands? 

A: “I like Lil Baby, NBA Youngboy and Moneybagg Yo.”

Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?

A: “Colorado. My sister moved out to Colorado with her boyfriend, so I’ve been out there to visit them a few times.”

Q: What is your favorite holiday? 

A: “Christmas is my favorite holiday.”

Q: Who would you want to play you in a movie about your life?

A: “Michael B. Jordan.”

Q: Who inspires you to be better?

A: “I’ll say my dad and Coach Niblett.”