There comes a time in every great player’s career when he does something that takes everyone’s breath away and makes them say, “Oh, he’s going to be that guy.”

For Brogan Jones, that moment was Nov. 14, 2025.

Already with 11 successful games under his belt, Jones — then the junior quarterback — broke the huddle and approached the line of scrimmage with the Mentor Cardinals trailing Canton McKinley, 24-17, in a Division I, Region 1 semifinal.

With the weight of a city, a team and a season on his shoulders, and with only 20 seconds left on the clock, Jones connected with Justen Hodge for a touchdown pass to get the Cardinals within one point at 24-23. Going for the win, Jones then plunged into the end zone for the game-deciding two-point conversion.

Brogan Jones, at least in his mind, had officially arrived.

“I think that was a big step,” Jones, now a senior, said. “It showed me I could be the guy. That guy. Go make a play? OK, I got it. That showed me I can get the job done.”

For most of last season, Jones was the young pup, per se, on an otherwise veteran offensive unit. The entire offensive line was made up of seniors, and he had FBS college recruits at running back (Jackson Farley) and receiver (Hodge).

For most of the season, Jones didn’t have to win games — he simply had to manage games, get the ball to playmakers and (most of all) not lose them.

He did it impeccably, leading Mentor to a 10-0 regular season.

This year, things are a bit different. Jones is a senior and now he is the veteran on an offensive unit that (including him) returns only three starters. He has gone from the young guy to the seasoned veteran of whom much more is expected.

He’d have it no other way.

“I remember being 5 or 6 and watching Ian Kipp play here,” Jones said of the former Mentor All-Ohio quarterback. “I remember thinking, ‘Yeah, I wanna do this. I want to be part of this hype, in this stadium, in front of all these fans.”

He’s definitely that guy.

In his first year quarterbacking the Cardinals, Jones threw for 2,116 yards and 21 touchdowns. He credits the senior-laden offensive unit he had around him, as well as the tutelage of head coach Matt Gray and assistants such as coordinator Owen Lewis.

Here’s the key — that hard work hasn’t stopped. While most of the faces around him on Friday nights this fall are new, there’s a chemistry that’s been built through offseason workouts and meetings he’s had with coaches during free periods during the school day this past winter and spring.

With a year already under his belt, Jones is ready for more this fall.

“I feel like I have a bigger leadership role this year,” he said. “That’s good for me. It holds me accountable and pushes me to do more than I did last year. Guys around me are leaning on me. I’m there for them to maybe calm the storm for them a little.”

Just like last year’s seniors did for him.

“Guys like Jay (Hodge) and Jojo (LoDuca) taught me a lot about being a leader,” he said. “I learned a lot from past players who were older than me. Now I can take over that role a little bit.”

Jones is excited about the 1-2 tandem the Cardinals have in the backfield this year with senior Ryan Orsog and junior Braylon Callahan. The receiving unit, including returners Logan Berwand and Phelan Harrold, gives him confidence, too.

“Logan and Phelan have a lot of experience,” Jones said. “(Junior) Jeremiah Claridy is a good one. We’ve got good receivers and depth there.”

The new-look offensive line is big — averaging 269 pounds across the board — and drew the quarterback’s praise, too.

“Those guys are doing a great job and getting better every day,” Jones said.

Mentor opens the season Aug. 21 at home against Olmsted Falls. Non-conference games with Erie McDowell and St. Ignatius follow, leading into the Greater Cleveland Conference opener Sept. 11 at home against Brunswick.

The Cardinals’ offense might be inexperienced, but Jones isn’t. And the ties he’s made with this group are deep.

Translation: Expectations are high once again.

“I’ve been with these guys for all the way back to youth,” Jones said. “So, it’s a good connection we have. It’s just a matter of getting it on the field, which I think we’ve been establishing pretty well.”