Texas Longhorns RB Jaydon Blue Reveals Why He Sat Out His Senior Year of High School

Jaydon Blue made the rare decision to sit out his senior year of high school, and in the end, it paid its dividends.

Texas running back Jaydon Blue (23) prays in the end zone ahead of the Big 12 Conference / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA

Despite losing their star running back, Jonathon Brooks, to the NFL this spring, the Texas Longhorns are fortunate enough to be bringing back one of the most talented backfields in the country in 2024, led by C.J. Baxter and Jaydon Blue.

At one point, both Baxter (2023) and Blue (2022) held the title of No. 1 running back in the nation by at least one major outlet. But while Baxter was able to finish his senior season at the top of the recruiting rankings, Blue took a dip, thanks in large part to his choice to skip his senior season.

During a recent episode of the 3rd and Longhorn podcast, Blue finally revealed what went into that choice, and why it has paid its dividends.

And apparently, the nexus of that choice dates all the way back to his middle school days.

Texas running back Jaydon Blue (23) prays in the end zone ahead of the Big 12 Conference / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA

"In middle school, I had two knee injuries that kept me out two years straight," Blue revealed. "What they told me was, if it was to happen again, there's a good chance I wouldn't be able to play again."

Blue would continue to play through his first two years of varsity high school football at Klein Cain *H, dominating for 432 carries for 3,767 yards and 46 touchdowns in his sophomore and junior campaigns.

And at it was at that point, that Blue believed he had shown colleges what he needed to show, and elected to take the year off and focus on getting better both mentally and physically.

"In my head I was thinking, I had to work super hard to get back to this point," Blue said. "My thought was to just take the year off and to get stronger, healthier, and train myself to get ready for the college level."

In retrospect, Blue made the right decision, becoming one of the most electric players in college football in the second half of last season.

However, at the time, he faced backlash from some detractors on social media and elsewhere - something that can take a toll on a 17-year-old.

But instead of listening to the negativity, Blue focused on himself and his goals, which helped pave the way for his success.

"I made the decision after my junior year of high school, so I was 17," Blue said. "I knew part of that was going to come with it, but I was strong enough to know that it's not what other people think. It was, what was best for me. I think that decision is part of the reason that I'm doing what I am today because I needed that year to not only get better physically but get better mentally."

Flash forward to this spring, and his teammates are raving about his talents. Including his backfield mate in Baxter, who believes Blue is in line for a big year during the Horns' first season in the SEC.

"We all know Blue is fast as a lightning bolt, so that's what stands out to me, and he's practicing at an elite level right now," Baxter said Thursday. "The plays he's making, the way he's moving, and stuff like that... He's gonna have a great year, for sure."