Midlothian native and Manchester High grad Duhart keeps pro football dream alive in CFL
MIDLOTHIAN, Va. (BVM) — Former Manchester High School star football player Jonathan Duhart knows how much hard work it takes to be a success. The talented wideout was not necessarily the biggest recruit in the area, only receiving two stars from recruiting sites 247Sports and Rivals. But the lack of outside attention never stopped him from working hard to be the best, according to Lancers head coach Tom Hall.
“I’ve been at Manchester as the head coach now for 22 years and Jon without a doubt is one of the top three players I’ve had the pleasure of coaching,” Hall said. “I can’t say enough about him. He’s an amazing person. He had an incredible work ethic even at a young age. … He was a leader and always was a leader.”
During his time at Manchester, Duhart earned first team All-District and first team All-Region honors as well as being a two-time All-Metro selection. By his senior year, Duhart had become a superstar in the area and one of the best players in the entire state.
“His senior year he was no question the best receiver in our state,” Hall said. “If we needed a big play in any game it was, ‘Get the ball to Duhart.’ That was the plan. It wasn’t rocket science and everyone in the stadium knew it.”
Despite his displayed abilities on the field, Duhart would not get much attention from the top programs in the state like Virginia and Virginia Tech due to what was deemed a slow 40 time. His head coach felt that those teams missed out on a top player because they failed to see what was on display right in front of them.
“Jon was never a great 40-runner even though there might be kids who could run 4.3 40s and couldn’t cover him,” Hall said. “A lot of colleges are probably kicking themselves after doing that.”
Regardless of not getting a lot of attention from the state’s bigger programs, Duhart would keep his talents close to home signing with the Old Dominion University Monarchs in Norfolk. During his time at ODU, Duhart would go from a little used receiver as a freshman to one of the biggest offensive weapons for the Monarchs.
As a freshman, Duhart would play in all 12 games catching seven passes for 127 yards and no touchdowns, but during his sophomore year the receiver would burst onto the scene with 47 receptions for 636 yards and eight touchdowns. Duhart would keep the level of play as a junior with 48 receptions for 735 yards and nine touchdowns. While a foot injury would cost the senior his final season, with him taking a redshirt after a couple of games, Duhart would return to the field where he would have his best season with 74 receptions for 1,045 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.
It was also during his senior season that Duhart would have what would be his most memorable game as a Monarch while also dishing out a bit of revenge on a program that once spurned him. On Sept. 22, 2018, the Monarchs hosted the No. 13 Virginia Tech Hokies in a game many predicted would get ugly fast. With a backup quarterback starting for an 0-3 Monarchs team against the highly-toutes 2-0 Hokies, the game seemed pretty much decided.
Unfortunately for the oddsmakers in Vegas and countless viewers across the country, the Monarchs wouldn’t play down to their record, especially not Duhart. In an exciting matchup, Old Dominion would stun Virginia Tech in a 49-35 upset, the program’s first win against a Power 5 team in school history. At the center of the win was Duhart who tied a career high in receptions and receiving touchdowns in a game when he pulled in nine catches for 142 yards and three touchdowns including a spectacular touchdown in traffic to put the Monarchs up for good with 5:12 left in the game.
The breakout performance came as no surprise to the man who coached the wideout in high school.
“I think he was out to prove to everyone what he could do,” Hall said. “They had no answer for him and again they had some four and five-star kids that were supposedly faster than him and yet they couldn’t guard him.”
Following the season, Duhart would throw his hat in the NFL Draft ring. While he would go undrafted in the 2019 NFL Draft, Duhart would get a chance to make a roster with the Detroit Lions where he would join fellow Monarch and former roommate Travis Fulgham as the two tried to make the roster. Duhart would face more of an uphill battle than Fulgham, who was drafted by the Lions in the sixth round, to make the roster and although he wouldn’t make the team’s active roster, he would make the team’s practice squad.
“It’s exciting, it’s like a proud poppa moment,” Hall said. “Any time you get to see you kids play at the collegiate level and then have the opportunity to make that jump to play professionally it’s very humbling and it’s a very proud moment not just for me but our whole program and our community.”
The rookie would bounce on and off the practice squad throughout his first season and by year’s end would sign a reserves/futures contract in December 2019. By April 2020, Duhart would once again find himself in free agency after being cut by the Lions once again. Though he wouldn’t play in the NFL in 2020, that didn’t stop Duhart from landing on his feet in another league after the season.
On March 5, Duhart was signed to the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ active roster.
.@TicatsInsurance Player Transaction Alert:
We've signed five 🇺🇸 players, including RB Wes Hills, WRs Tim White (@tim_white6) & Jonathan Duhart (@jonduhart21), OL Scottie Dill (@ScottieDill) & DE Nate Harvey.
🗞️ | https://t.co/OadUp0BybU#Ticats | #CFL | @InsuredWithMIB pic.twitter.com/HYYyeOv5hp
— Hamilton Tiger-Cats (@Ticats) March 12, 2021
Though it is still early on in his CFL career, the opportunity to not only play professionally, but to do so in what is considered one of the most popular professional pipelines to the NFL is a huge opportunity for the young receiver.
“They’re going to get a player I think that’s going to be dominant,” Hall said. “Just knowing him and his character and work ethic, I think he’s looking to make that step and make big noise in the Canadian Football League.”
Congratulations to Jonathan Duhart for signing with the Hamilton TigerCats in the CFL! Very proud of you Do!! #L4L pic.twitter.com/qGGhdMUZ3Q
— Manchester Lancer Football (@lancer_footbal) March 23, 2021
While he may not be in the NFL, Duhart’s career is far from over and with a new opportunity to improve his stock in the CFL, he has a prime opportunity to make a name for himself. Both Manchester and Old Dominion fans alike know what kind of offensive weapon Duhart can be, now it will be Duhart’s turn to show what he can do to fans north of the border.
“We’re excited to see what these next few months hold,” Hall said. “I think everyone in Hamilton will be excited about the type of football player and the type of person that they have in that organization.”
