Four-star edge rusher Jayden Woods locks in Penn State official visit
Penn State locked in a key official visit for June 7-9 this week, adding four-star edge rusher Jayden Woods. Listed at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, Woods earned an offer from the Nittany Lions nearly a year ago but was unable to visit for the first time until about a month ago in mid-March. He said that defensive line coach Deion Barnes and others left a strong impression that day.
“The connection with Coach Barnes and Coach [Torrence] Brown was great the whole visit,” Woods said following his March 12 visit. “I could really see myself playing for them. Talking with Coach [James] Franklin was great too. He actually recruited my dad and was with him at K-State back in the day. Watching number [Abdul Carter] and [Jameial Lyons] pass rush at practice was amazing. I got the chance to talk to [Dani Dennis-Sutton] about hand placement on pass rush, too.”
Woods’ father, Justin, was a 2007 running back recruit who played one season under Franklin when he was the offensive coordinator under former Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder. Franklin ended up leaving K-State for Maryland the following year, but that connection has helped the Nittany Lions become a serious contender.
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As for other schools, Woods announced a Top 13 back in February. In addition to Penn State, he included Alabama, Baylor, Florida, Kansas State, Michigan, Michigan State, Missouri, Oregon, Purdue, Tennesee, Texas A&M and Wisconsin. He currently has just two other official visits locked in, beginning with Wisconsin May 31 to June 2. Purdue will then host him the weekend after Penn State, June 14-16.
“They’re really genuine guys and want the best for the guys in their room,” Woods said when asked to expand on what he liked about Barnes and Franklin. “After practice, they were both sticking around to work extra pass rush moves with the D-line. Even outside of football, we were talking about life and campus life on the visit, too.”
According to On3’s Industry Rankings, which combines On3, 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals for a cumulative grade, Woods is currently ranked just inside the Top 200 nationally at No. 199. He’s the 24th-ranked edge rusher and the fifth-ranked player in Kansas.
Woods is now one of five defensive ends to lock in an official visit with Penn State. Texas prospect Max Granville and Ohio native Cedric Works are both set to visit May 31 to June 2. The Lions are also planning to host Maryland native Cortez Harris and New Jersey’s Jayden Loftin the weekend of June 21-23.
