2021 Receiver Jayden Thomas and His Relationship With Georgia Football
Jayden Thomas is yet another highly coveted member of an especially talented 2021 crop of Peach State products. All six of Georgia's commitments in the 2021 class are in-state guys and the Dawgs are targeting the Pace Academy 4-Star receiver as an addition to that number. Thomas has a ton of blue-blood type programs chasing after him and this recruitment is just getting started.
After dropping his Top 11 on February 18th, Jayden Thomas now believes that he's got things right where he wants it for now. "I'm not planning on narrowing things down right now. I'm just continuing to build a relationship with coaches and see where is the best fit for me," said Thomas in a recent conversation with the Bulldog Maven on SI.com.
Despite his steadfastness on taking his time and vetting the 11 major programs that are vying for his commitment, there are some very encouraging signs for Georgia and the Bulldog faithful when it comes to Thomas. The first and most obvious connection would be Thomas's Wide Receiver's Coach at Pace Academy, all-time Georgia great, Terrence Edwards. While Thomas says that Edwards, "never tries to influence his decision in any way," he also admits, "playing at the same school that he made so much history at and that he established himself at would be cool."
Secondly, Georgia has done a good job of recruiting Thomas in their own right. Cortez Hankton is the main recruiter from the 6'1" 198-pound Atlanta native. On Hankton, Thomas stated, "Coach Hankton and I talk a lot and he's a great guy. We have a strong relationship and he also has a good relationship with my family." New Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken has also reached out to Thomas and was attempting to set up a visit to Athens before the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt on that aspect of recruiting. Thomas called the hiring of Monken by UGA, "eye-opening because he's coming from the league (the NFL) and brings that perspective and experience with him."
Thomas is in no hurry to rush to a decision and his commitment is not imminent. In fact, Thomas's decision might not be final until well after his high school season. At Pace Academy, early enrollment is not an option according to Thomas, so that lessens any need to place a time table on picking his college destination just yet. However, Thomas did share that the schools recruiting him the hardest of his Top 11 right now are Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama, and Georgia.
A long way to go for Mr. Thomas on his journey through his senior year, but UGA seems to have a lot that aligns with what the 4-Star receiver is looking for. When asked what the determining factors in his recruitment would be, Thomas responded, "I'm looking for a family vibe, a place where I can win national championships, and strong academics." Also, in terms of incoming talent to Georgia, Thomas acknowledged that "it was cool he stayed at home" when discussing 2021 top-ranked quarterback Brock Vandagriff.
There is no doubt that a Vandagriff to Thomas connection would quite a tantalizing prospect for the future of Georgia Football should it come to fruition.
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