This upcoming season, Dajuan Darling doesn’t want to be known as one of the top Cornerbacks in the country, he wants to be known as the best Cornerback in the country.

Darling, a soon to be Senior Cornerback at Lakeland University in Plymouth, WI, has been a three year starter for the Muskies and has had a stellar college career. After taking the reigns during the final seven games his Freshman season, he has not looked back since. He has 107 tackles, 34 pass breakups, 9.5 tackles for a loss, 9 interceptions, 2 blocked kicks, and 2 forced fumbles in his career, while being named All-Conference twice and ranking in the top 25 in the nation for pass breakups twice.

Physicality and football smarts are what has made Darling a sound Cornerback over the past three seasons for the Muskies. What he brings to the table as a player is beyond the average Defensive Back traits. He can rumble with lineman in the trenches and lock down Wide Receivers on an island by himself. Darling said that he, “Lined up against a couple of Division III’s top Wide Receivers last season and none of the four players scored a touchdown or surpassed 50 receiving yards.” That is a feat to be proud of and a major confidence boost going into this season. His motto states that he is a “Boud It Boud It” style cornerback, a phrase he created for himself to show how tenacious he is as a football player.

Outside of his on the field football drills, Darling has been working out mostly at hot yoga and pilates classes to gain more flexibility and core strength. “I want to reach max potential in my hips so I can be flexible like a ballerina, but explosive like a Cheetah,” said Darling. He needs to be in the best shape possible to reach his goal of being named 1st Team All-American. More importantly, his main goal this season is to do whatever it takes to get Lakeland to the big dance and win the National Championship.