SI All-American Candidate Jaydon Hood Highlights and Evaluation

Jaydon Hood is a linebacker prospect from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Hood is an SI All-American candidate.

Prospect: Jaydon Hood
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-1, 212 pounds
Position: Inside Linebacker 
School: Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
Committed to: Michigan
Projected Position: Inside Linebacker

Frame: Looks like a running back playing linebacker. Has a balanced frame and won’t need to add much weight based on play strength. 

Athleticism: He has a lightning-quick first step. Once he’s moving forward, he’s closing space in a flash. Has exceptionally powerful hips, albeit a tad tight. He wraps up well in space, and the horizontal athleticism is on par with the rest of the ILBs in the class. 

Instincts: Play recognition is almost instant, and he has an innate ability to avoid blocks and meet the ball-carrier at their intended location. He has great play strength and will take on blockers when needed to with little to no issues. 

Polish: There’s no telling if he can cover because he hasn’t been asked to as much, but no indication that the athleticism won’t allow him to do so. Has a knack for not only finding the ball and making a play, but creating turnovers upon arrival. 

Bottom Line: Hood’s tape is a firework show filled with contact, anger and bodies flying everywhere. The ball skills are about the only thing lacking in his game, but everything else is elite. It won’t be long before he begins to make a similar impact in college.