Paying It Forward: U-M Commit Jaydon Hood Holds Youth Football Camps

During the offseason, Michigan commit Jaydon Hood stays sharp while helping the community by holding youth football camps.

Last week, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas linebacker and Michigan commit Jaydon Hood was named an SI All-American candidate after turning in a dominant junior season, one complete with 115 tackles, 25 tackles for loss and seven sacks.

“I was super excited because I worked really hard just to even get noticed,” Hood told Wolverine Digest. “I've had many blessings along the way because of that. Just to even be a candidate of the Sports Illustrated All-American team, it's truly a blessing.”

While Hood is quite a force to be reckoned with on the field, the four-star prospect has also become a force in his community as someone that spreads inspiration to future generations. During the summer months, Hood travels with his mother to the church that she leads as a pastor on the weekends. While church is in session, Hood puts on a football camp for younger children to help refine their skills.

“My mom started it because it was a way for kids my age or people in general to get them off the street sand have something to do, give them the opportunity to do something they love and develop,” Hood said. “I saw it as a perfect opportunity to give back to the community, to do what I love and help people do what they love at the same time.”

Every Saturday at 10 a.m., Hood leads a group of youth football players through stretches, calisthenics and individual position drills before breaking into more competitive portions of practice. From there, players engage in seven-on-seven games to help determine which players picked up the most from that day's practice session.

Over the years, Hood's football camp has gained traction in the area, and he even has a nearby coach come in to assist with the workouts.

“We just go through fundamental things they should know as a football player for any position.,” Hood said. “Every other week there is a trophy, so it's a fun thing we do.”

While upping the ante in terms of motivation by doling out a trophy on a regular basis, Hood helps breed a competitive nature and convinces each camp attendee to put their best effort forward. It is these personal, direct relationships that have had the most impact on the Michigan commit.

“For me, you are teaching somebody who might be 10 [years old], or anybody, it doesn't even matter,” Hood said. “Maybe they don't get it the first couple times or maybe they don't even get it that month. But if they do it and keep doing it and they finally get it, when you see that look they have on their face, it's a good feeling.”

Hood mentioned that the U-M coaching staff is aware that he conducts these offseason workouts, and they were proud to know that they have a player of that caliber waiting to join their program. With an opportunity this fall to prove that he's an All-American on the field, Hood has already been exemplifying an All-American character and work ethic off of it.

What are your expectations for Jaydon Hood once he arrives at Michigan? Do you think he can crack the starting lineup as an underclassman? Let us know!