S.C. linebacker a big fan of Chavis
Linebacker Jaylen Moody will make his third official visit this weekend when he arrives today in Fayetteville to visit Arkansas.
Moody, 6-2, 225 pounds, 4.6 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Conway, S.C., has scholarship offers from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Ole Miss, East Carolina, Georgia State and others. He has visited Ole Miss and Georgia State previously.
Defensive coordinator John Chavis and the Razorbacks fans are the main attractions for Moody.
“They have that killer defensive coordinator,” Moody said. “I hear good things about him, and I know they play good ball up there. The fan support is really good.”
Chavis has been communicating with Moody.
“He mostly told me what he’s looking for and [what] he can do with me in their defensive schemes,” Moody said.
Moody, who had 105 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 interceptions, 9 pass breakups as a senior, will be accompanied on the visit by his parents. He’s considering accounting as his major.
The last month or so has seen Moody’s recruitment go to another level after he received a qualifying SAT score in December and schools like Arkansas, Ole Miss and others extended offers. Alabama has started to show interest and he plans to officially visit the Crimson Tide next weekend.
“It’s crazy how everything is turning out and how God has blessed me with the ability, and I just thank God for helping me through this process and my coaches, my team and my school in helping me get qualified,” Moody said. “It’s really crazy.”
Moody said he’ll make his college decision known on national signing day Feb. 7.
Offensive lineman Ryan Winkel, 6-6, 280 pounds of Christian Brothers High School in Memphis also will make an official visit this weekend. He has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Nebraska, Northwestern, Virginia, Central Florida and others.
He has officially visited Northwestern and Mississippi State. He’s uncertain if he’ll visit anyone the last weekend before signing day.
TRAYLOR HIGHLY REGARDED
Arkansas Razorback running backs coach Jeff Traylor has an excellent reputation as a recruiter and one high school coach in east Texas attributes that to Traylor’s background as a high school coach.
New London (Texas) West Rusk Coach John Frazier said he believes Traylor’s years in the high school ranks, including 15 seasons as head coach of Gilmer High School from 2000-14, helped make Traylor the recruiter he is today.
“One thing that stands out with Coach Traylor is I think the fact he’s spent his whole life dealing with 17- and 18-year-old kids,” Frazier said. “He’s dealt with the 17- and 18-year-olds’ parents and of course he knows high school coaches. I would assume when it comes to recruiting, that’s the big majority of it.”
Frazier coaches Razorbacks defensive end target Tyree Wilson, who’s down to the Hogs and Texas A&M for his college decision.
Traylor started his coaching career in 1990 at Big Sandy High School before heading to Jacksonville, Texas, in 1993. Big Sandy, Jacksonville and Gilmer are all located in eastern Texas, where Traylor is assigned to recruit for the Hogs along with the Arkansas side of Texarkana.
He had a 175-26 record with three state championships and two state runner-up finishes while at Gilmer. Frazier has known Traylor for numerous years and thinks his strong work ethic is also one of his strengths in recruiting.
“Coach Traylor hustles and I mean hustles in the sense of work ethic,” Frazier said. “Coach Traylor just knows how to win whether that be recruiting a kid or being a great athletic director or just being a good friend. Coach Traylor wins and will figure out a way to win in whatever he does. He’s a great competitor.”