The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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50 THE WOLVERINE JUNE/JULY 2020 COMMITMENT PROFILE M ichigan is continuing to pull in- triguing talent from the state of Florida. Last than a month after earning a verbal pledge from three-star corner- back Ja'Den McBurrows, the Wolver- ines notched a commitment from his new teammate, three-star 2021 Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aqui- nas linebacker Jaydon Hood. Like McBurrows, Hood has never visited Michigan. But he felt comfort- able enough with the program, head coach Jim Harbaugh and the staff to make the call now. "Coach Harbaugh has a great per- sonality," Hood said. "He's very mo- tivational, too. He gave great stories about his childhood, his dad and his brother. I learned a little bit about him as a person. I love talking to [linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary]; he keeps it real. "You can really tell that he's about Michigan and really believes how he teaches and coach. Coach Brian is a very good coach. I like him a lot." Hood picked Michigan over offers from Florida State, LSU, Miami, Ne- braska, Penn State, West Virginia and others. Jean-Mary led the way in his re- cruitment. The first-year assistant coached at South Florida before arriving at Michigan and still has strong ties in the Sunshine State. While Jean-Mary's conversations centered around relationship build- ing, Hood also had an opportunity to learn more about Michigan's scheme with defensive coordinator Don Brown through virtual film sessions. And he believes he is a great fit for the Wolverines. "Coach Brown was on a call with me, and he told me he wants me to be the Mike linebacker," Hood said. "He wants me to call plays and be the leader of the amazing defense that they have. That's what I feel like I'm good at and specialize in." Both Florida State and Miami pre- sented intriguing in-state options. Minnesota made a strong run at the end as well. But Michigan was simply where he felt the most comfortable. Hood might not be rated extremely high, but the Wolverines made him one of their top overall priorities throughout the dead period. The three-star prospect felt wanted. "They did a tour of their facilities, so that was easy because I got to see a video of the tour," Hood said. "I also had a chance to talk to the strength and conditioning coach, and he's a great dude. He told me what he does and what's important to him. I talked to Coach Harbaugh and Coach Brown about how they want me to fit into their scheme. "They've been showing me [film of] Devin Bush and Cameron McGrone, and how they play. They've been showing me a lot, and it looks good." A strong student in the classroom, Hood also had several calls with Michigan's academic support staff. In fact, he was one of the first recruits Michigan made sure to get on the line with an advisor. U-M's prestigious education is something that ultimately played a huge role in his decision to side with the Wolverines. "It definitely appealed to me," Hood said. "They have a great en- gineering program. I also like the fact that they make you go to class. There aren't really online classes for the players. I actually like that and appreciate that." Hood has recorded 181 tackles and 11 sacks in his first three years of high school football. He was a Palm Beach Post Small Schools (4A-1A) first-team selection on defense last season for West Palm Beach (Fla.) Cardinal Newman. He transferred to St. Thomas Aquinas this offseason. Rivals.com ranks Hood (6-1, 212) as the No. 70 prospect in Florida and the No. 35 athlete in the country. — EJ Holland Underrated Florida Linebacker Jaydon Hood Spurns Local Schools For U-M FILM EVALUATION Strengths: Jaydon Hood is an ag- gressive linebacker that commands the defense with his high football IQ and raw athleticism. He brings Florida speed to the defensive side of the ball and moves extremely well sideline to sideline. A state qualifier in wrestling, he is extremely aggressive and a sure tackler. He loves to fill gaps and lives for contact. Hood can get after the quarterback and drop back into cov- erage when needed. He is a perfect fit for U-M defensive coordinator Don Brown's attacking defensive scheme. Areas Of Improvement: Hood needs to continue to add weight to his frame. He was 195 pounds at this time last year and is now up to 212 pounds. It will be interesting to see how much more weight his body can carry as well as how much Michigan will want him to add. Other than that, the tools are definitely there for him to excel at the next level. He is one of the more underrated prospects nationally. Michigan Player Comparison: Michigan has been showing Hood film of rising redshirt sophomore Cameron McGrone for a reason. Like McGrone, Hood is on the thinner side coming out of his school, but he can add weight and plays with an attack- ing mentality. Hood flies around to the football and has a chance to be an early impact player like McGrone. While McGrone was rated extremely as a top-200 prospect by Rivals, Hood offers a similar athletic profile. EJ Holland Though rated just a three-star prospect, Hood picked Michigan over offers from Florida State, LSU, Miami, Nebraska, Penn State, West Virginia and others. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM Hood on U-M defensive coordinator Don Brown "Coach Brown was on a call with me, and he told me he wants me to be the Mike linebacker. He wants me to call plays and be the leader of the amazing defense that they have. That's what I feel like I'm good at and specialize in."