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After a strong performance shutting down everything that came at him at the Under Armour Miami Camp this past weekend, 2021 St. Thomas Aquinas (FL) 4-star LB Jaydon Hood earned an invite to the UA All-America Game in January for his efforts.
“I feel like I performed great,” Hood said. “I got a little banged up – I’m not injured, but when I say that, I mean it was physical, it was competitive.”
When talking about the toughest players in the camp to match up against, Hood pointed to a current Miami Hurricanes running back commit.
“Thaddius (Franklin), he was really good,” Hood said. “Definitely want to go against him again, I love the competition.”
The recruiting process is relatively new to Hood right now, as the rising senior ‘backer has received the majority of his offers, including from the Canes, since the calendar flipped following his breakout junior season on the field. His new suitors include college football powers Alabama, LSU, Michigan, Penn State, and FSU. As such, Hood is still trying to take things slow and learn more about all his new options.
“I know I’m taking a lot of visits in the spring, I’m not sure where yet,” Hood said. “I want to figure out what colleges I like, what colleges I don’t like. I’m undecided right now, but you guys will know my decision by the end of the season.”
As for the local Hurricanes, Hood says that UM has increased their efforts with him in recent weeks and that he’s feeling the love from the home school.
“I’ve been talking to all the coaches lately,” Hood said. “It’s going well with them, I talk to them all the time. Great coaching staff, great atmosphere. I love it.
“They definitely like me at inside linebacker. They said they’d want to put a little more size on me. They said they want me there at Miami, that I’m a good fit for their team and their organization.”
The 6-1 210 pound prospect also says he’s been getting a lot of attention from head coach Manny Diaz lately and that has him feeling like a priority to the Miami staff.
“It’s definitely an honor and a blessing to be able to talk with coach Manny Diaz regularly – obviously, I have to stay humble,” Hood said. “He just tries to build a relationship with me. He’s not one of those coaches that’s always saying ‘You’ve got to come to my school.’ He actually wants to build a relationship with me, talks to me. So I enjoy that a lot.”
A few weeks after Hood received his UM offer, the Canes were able to get the star linebacker on campus for the first time for Miami’s Junior Day event in late January.
“It was great, I loved it. The meeting rooms were amazing, it’s amazing how they break down film,” Hood said. “I was with coach (Blake) Baker. I definitely learned a lot from him, just in those 5-10 minutes with him. It’s helped me in my game, it showed today.”
While the Hurricanes had tons of prospects on campus during an event like Junior Day, Hood wanted to return to Coral Gables to get more of a one-on-one experience with the coaching staff.
“I’m actually going back to visit this Saturday, it’ll be me and family,” Hood said.
Being a local recruit from South Florida, Hood has plenty of experience with the Miami program in general, but he also has a personal tie to the school as well with his mother an alumni of UM, and cites a former Hurricane as one of the players he models his game on.
“Miami has a history of having great linebackers, and Shaq Quarterman was one of my favorite linebackers,” Hood said. “The way he comes downhill and thumps, and his attitude, the way he leads the team. Just being able to be a part of that would be a great opportunity and a blessing.”
Hood recently transferred to STA after a monster junior year at Cardinal Newman in 2019 that included 115 tackles, 25 TFL, 7 sacks, 1 INT, 4 FF, and a TD.
“I feel like I have a lot of instincts, I feel like that’s what helps me and what differentiates me and the others,” Hood said. “Just being able to see the play before it happens. And then my athleticism as well.”
“I feel like I performed great,” Hood said. “I got a little banged up – I’m not injured, but when I say that, I mean it was physical, it was competitive.”
When talking about the toughest players in the camp to match up against, Hood pointed to a current Miami Hurricanes running back commit.
“Thaddius (Franklin), he was really good,” Hood said. “Definitely want to go against him again, I love the competition.”
The recruiting process is relatively new to Hood right now, as the rising senior ‘backer has received the majority of his offers, including from the Canes, since the calendar flipped following his breakout junior season on the field. His new suitors include college football powers Alabama, LSU, Michigan, Penn State, and FSU. As such, Hood is still trying to take things slow and learn more about all his new options.
“I know I’m taking a lot of visits in the spring, I’m not sure where yet,” Hood said. “I want to figure out what colleges I like, what colleges I don’t like. I’m undecided right now, but you guys will know my decision by the end of the season.”
As for the local Hurricanes, Hood says that UM has increased their efforts with him in recent weeks and that he’s feeling the love from the home school.
“I’ve been talking to all the coaches lately,” Hood said. “It’s going well with them, I talk to them all the time. Great coaching staff, great atmosphere. I love it.
“They definitely like me at inside linebacker. They said they’d want to put a little more size on me. They said they want me there at Miami, that I’m a good fit for their team and their organization.”
The 6-1 210 pound prospect also says he’s been getting a lot of attention from head coach Manny Diaz lately and that has him feeling like a priority to the Miami staff.
“It’s definitely an honor and a blessing to be able to talk with coach Manny Diaz regularly – obviously, I have to stay humble,” Hood said. “He just tries to build a relationship with me. He’s not one of those coaches that’s always saying ‘You’ve got to come to my school.’ He actually wants to build a relationship with me, talks to me. So I enjoy that a lot.”
A few weeks after Hood received his UM offer, the Canes were able to get the star linebacker on campus for the first time for Miami’s Junior Day event in late January.
“It was great, I loved it. The meeting rooms were amazing, it’s amazing how they break down film,” Hood said. “I was with coach (Blake) Baker. I definitely learned a lot from him, just in those 5-10 minutes with him. It’s helped me in my game, it showed today.”
While the Hurricanes had tons of prospects on campus during an event like Junior Day, Hood wanted to return to Coral Gables to get more of a one-on-one experience with the coaching staff.
“I’m actually going back to visit this Saturday, it’ll be me and family,” Hood said.
Being a local recruit from South Florida, Hood has plenty of experience with the Miami program in general, but he also has a personal tie to the school as well with his mother an alumni of UM, and cites a former Hurricane as one of the players he models his game on.
“Miami has a history of having great linebackers, and Shaq Quarterman was one of my favorite linebackers,” Hood said. “The way he comes downhill and thumps, and his attitude, the way he leads the team. Just being able to be a part of that would be a great opportunity and a blessing.”
Hood recently transferred to STA after a monster junior year at Cardinal Newman in 2019 that included 115 tackles, 25 TFL, 7 sacks, 1 INT, 4 FF, and a TD.
“I feel like I have a lot of instincts, I feel like that’s what helps me and what differentiates me and the others,” Hood said. “Just being able to see the play before it happens. And then my athleticism as well.”
