AUBURN, Ala. – Every time senior Jordyn Peters looks at his mirror, he sees three words written at the top: "I want everything." It's become his personal mantra and a daily reminder of how far he's come.
"I wake up every morning going to workouts thinking I don't want to leave anything to chance," Peters said. "I don't want to leave anything on the table, and I don't want to leave anything uneaten on my plate.
"Being a student-athlete at Auburn University you face a lot of adversity and you learn to deal with things in ways that a lot of other people may not think to deal with them."
Hard work and adversity are no strangers to Peters, whether it be at home, in the classroom, or on the football field. Last year at this time, he was recovering from an Achilles injury he suffered prior to spring practice. This year, there was no spring practice because of the coronavirus. In both cases, it's helped the defensive back appreciate the highs and fight through the lows.
"After my injury, I had an eye-opening moment that football is only temporary and it can be taken away from you at any point in time, whether you're ready for it or not," he said. "Then with this pandemic, experiencing a month or two without my teammates was tough. Those are guys that I have been with every day that I've been here."
But if Peters has learned anything from playing football at Auburn, it's to not give up on life when things get hard. Instead, work harder. He refuses to give less than 100 percent because he knows he's playing for more than himself.
"I don't want to see my family have to struggle ever again," Peters said. "I play for them. I tell myself that I've got to make it so that they can make it."
That selfless attitude has helped Peters grow both on and off the field.
"You have to find your 'why' because I don't think anyone can do this just for themselves," he said. "You can't come out here and play college football just because you want to."
The "why" for Peters is his family, but it's no longer just the family native to his hometown of Muscle Shoals. It's also now the Auburn Family, which has been more than gracious to him since he first arrived on the Plains.
"From my experience, when I have a problem or I need help with something, the Auburn Family is always right there," Peters said. "I know that they'll be coming to help and coming fast. There's a big sense of relief in knowing that I can go anywhere and if I see somebody with an Auburn shirt, I can count on them and talk to them like they were my brother or my sister."
Peters is on track to graduate from Auburn this December with a degree in marketing. The dream is still to play football at the next level, but if professional football doesn't work out, the SEC Academic Honor Roll student wants to work for a company like Fox Sports or possibly follow in his father's footsteps and enter the field of medical sales.
An outstanding student-athlete and an even more outstanding person, it is certain that no matter where life takes him, Peters will strive for nothing short of everything.