Mill Valley (Shawnee, Kansas) edge defender [autotag]Jayden Woods[/autotag] signed with the Florida Gators at 8:30 a.m. ET Wednesday morning, the start of the early signing period.
Woods committed to Florida on Black Friday (Nov. 29), flipping from Penn State just five days out from the signing period. He backed off a five-month pledge to the Nittany Lions (June 19) following an official visit to The Swap on Nov. 22 for the Ole Miss game.
The Gators expect to use him in the JACK role, which typically requires a strong pass-rushing ability. At 6-foot-3-inches and 235 pounds with an explosive first step off the line, Woods is a perfect fit for the role. Woods is versatile enough to move to inside linebacker or the interior defensive line if needed, but he’s best coming off the edge.
There’s a ton of optimism that Woods will continue to improve after making a big jump in the rankings this spring. He totaled 90 tackles (44 solo), 5.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and one interception as a senior.
Recruiting Summary
Woods is a consensus four-star talent, ranked the highest by 247Sports at No. 75 overall and No. 7 among edge defenders in the class of 2024. The 247Sports composite, which considers all four major recruiting services, has him at No. 129 nationally and No. 10 at his position, while the On3 industry ranking puts him at Nos. 116 and 14, respectively.
“Good-sized standing edge player with the physical tools to put a hand on the ground, whether as a scheme-versatile puzzle piece or as a long-term projection to a more traditional D-line role,” 247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks said.
“Plays with obvious strength at the point of attack. Puts hands to use and shows stack-and-shed ability vs. the run. Displays encouraging linear pursuit speed to close on the ball. Physical tackler who shows some quick uncoiling pop that also punishes lead blockers in the run game.
“… Bit of a one-speed rusher who’s still developing his move set. Flashes an effective inside move. Segmented mover at times with some lower-half tightness when redirecting. Can improve dip-and-bend flexibility around the edge and present more of a speed threat on obvious passing downs. Projects as a high-major defender who may wind up more of an interior defensive lineman than a true edge.”
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