SMU gets leader, instinctive safety in Jaylen Moses
2024 Carrollton (Tex.) Newman Smith safety Jaylen Moses committed to SMU over the summer before his senior season. The Mustangs might have well landed a do-it-all prospect in the local standout.
“Jaylen Moses is like worth three or four kids on the field. He’s a two-year captain, a leader,” Newman Smith head coach Robert Boone told On3. “He’s very instinctive. He gets after it, makes up for a lot of mishaps at times. There on the run. There on the pass and he’s a pleasure to have. He’s a luxury to have. We’re lucky to have him.”
From last year to this year, Moses stepped up in terms of learning the game. He’s bringing along a young secondary for Newman Smith.
“Just his maturity and knowledge of the game. He understands what we want him to do,” Boone said. “He’s understanding the scheme, understands what the offensive tendencies are. Jaylen’s being more vocal getting guys where they need to be. He’s got a couple sophomores on the side of him that are going to be really, really talented. He’s taking upon that role to get those guys playing at a better level.”
SMU defensive coordinator Scott Symons offered Moses in the spring after watching him work out in practice. Boone said the heavy push from the Mustangs was impressive and paid off.
“I absolutely love that staff. I think they’re doing an outstanding job of recruiting the area,” Boone said after his team’s Week 1 win. “They had some of the greatest pitches and talks with Jaylen Moses. I think that those guys are very genuine. I think they’re doing a great job and I want them to keep coming back because I got some more guys like Jaylen Moses.”
After dispatching Denton (Tex.) in Week 1, 39-7, Boone said his team was focused on doing the little things right.
“I talked to my guys about some of the principles that I believe in that give you a chance to win the game Week 1. That’s blocking, tackling, ball security, special teams play and who’s the best conditioned. I wanted us to do all of that to our very best ability to give ourselves a chance to win. I think those guys really did a great job of those five categories. We do that, we have playmakers and they went and made plays.”
