For St. Thomas Aquinas star Jaydon Hood, it was a Memorial Day to remember. Not only did he announce his college football commitment to the Michigan Wolverines, but the four-star linebacker went viral for his social media video.
Getting Hood from South Florida to Ann Arbor is a big deal for Michigan football. He is one of the top inside linebackers in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite. Nothing proved that more than the reaction from the Wolverines coaching staff.
Most coaches share a cryptic message on Twitter, letting the world know they landed a big-time recruit since they can't reveal names until they sign with the program. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, defensive coordinator Don Brown and linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary did one better by doing cartwheels and yelling "GO BLUE!" in the commitment video.
Michigan Staff Cartwheels for Jaydon Hood's Commitment
Committed 100%... Go Blue ?? @UMichFootball @JayHarbaugh @luc_brian @FBCoachDBrown @247Wolverine @MichOpinion @espn @247Sports @CoachHarriott @TwanRussell @FeetHipsHands @TheCribSouthFLA @EraPrep @Iam_SheaHood @HoodShandon @Shepp42 pic.twitter.com/ycVhFYgd9v
— Jaydon hood (@JaydonHood_7) May 25, 2020
RELATED: Caylin Newton, Cam's Brother, Transfers to Auburn
Give it up to four-star linebacker Jaydon Hood. His commitment video had everything. It was meaningful, showed some impressive highlights, and added a creative twist. There's a reason it already has over 150,000 views on Twitter alone.
Watching Jim Harbaugh do a cartwheel in his khakis wasn't something we knew we needed during the coronavirus pandemic and COVID-19 outbreak, but it's out there for the world to see.
As for Hood, who is from Fort Lauderdale, he ultimately chose the Wolverines over other finalists Miami and Minnesota. He also had high-profile offers from Alabama, Florida State, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Penn State, Rutgers, South Carolina, Syracuse, Texas A&M, UCF, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, Washington State and West Virginia.
"It was actually a very hard decision between Michigan, Miami, and Minnesota," Hood said, via The Michigan Insider. "It just came down to what scheme I liked, what things I like, and where I feel most comfortable. And the biggest thing for me was coaching stability. That's very important to me. (So too are) coaching relationships, culture, tradition, atmosphere, and good campus life because I've got to be able to live there. And that competitive atmosphere. I definitely want to play in the biggest games. I want to be a part of that. And I just looked at it... I went pros and cons with every school, and Michigan checked off on everything I wanted."
Hood joins cornerback Ja'Den McBurrows as the second St. Thomas Aquinas teammate to join Michigan's 2021 football recruiting class. He is also the fourth linebacker, including four-star linebacker Junior Colson and three-star prospects Tyler McLaurin and Casey Phinney.
LB Jaydon Hood Highlights
?Pick 6! 10 tackles, 1 INT, 3 TFL, 1 deflection against American Heritage. You'll know the name soon?! #Jtrain #Jaydonhood watch full highlight here https://t.co/sUFvWnsdei @CoachJMolina @larryblustein @pbphighschools @EraPrep @ESPNTop63 @Ryan_DiPentima @SFHSSports @pbpsports pic.twitter.com/LdFLJZSQ5W
— Jaydon hood (@JaydonHood_7) October 27, 2019
Linebacker Jaydon Hood is big-time football player with a high ceiling. He started his career at Cardinal Newman before transferring to St. Thomas Aquinas for his final high school season. Hood recorded 115 tackles as a junior last season, and it won't be long before the college football world knows his name.
