Donald Ray Dykes is a former professional American football player who played cornerback for four seasons for the

New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...

and

San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...

. He also played in the United States Football League. He was an assistant football coach at the University of Arkansas in Monticello. As of 2016, Donald Dykes is in his fifth year at SOUTHWEST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE as defensive backs coach. He came to Southwest from Glenville (WV) State College where he held the same position in the 2011 season. A native of Hammond, LA, Dykes won numerous individual state track and field championships at Hammond High School and helped the Tornadoes win two team championships. He was also a 10-time All-State selection and a one-time All American selection. Dykes attended Southeastern Louisiana University where he was a four-year letterman in both football and track and field. An eight-time All-American in track and field, he won three national championships including two in the long jump. In 1977, he set a school and Louisiana state record with a long jump of 26’ 3” which was 17th best in the world. He was also an NAIA outdoor champion in the event. As a member of the SLU football team, he blocked 12 kicks and had six interceptions. He graduated from SLU in 1988 with a B. A. degree in Criminology. A third-round NFL draft pick by the New York Jets in 1979, Dykes played for the Jets from 1979-1981. His best season came in 1980 when he had five interceptions. Also in 1980, he qualified for the Olympic trials in the long jump. He was traded to the San Diego Chargers in 1982 and signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a free agent in 1983. Later, he played for the Houston Gamblers and Jacksonville Bulls of the USFL. He received a master's degree from Delta State University in Health and Physical Education in 1994 and helped coach the Statesmen to an NCAA Division II national championship in 2000. He began his coaching career at Hammond High School in 1989. Other coaching stops along the way include Ft. Valley State (GA) University, Tennessee-Chattanooga and Arkansas-Monticello. Dykes has two children and three grandchildren.

References

1955 births Living people People from Independence, Louisiana American football cornerbacks New York Jets players San Diego Chargers players Southeastern Louisiana Lions football players Players of American football from Louisiana {{defensiveback-1950s-stub