Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Recruiting Class of 2022 First Look: Jaylen Ward
3/2/2022 11:00:00 AM | Football
The wideout battled with big-time prospects every day at practice with perennial power Thompson High (Ala.)
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Jaylen Ward often felt stressed about the recruiting process. It's not hard to see why. As a three-star receiver at one of the top prep football programs in the state of Alabama, Ward would get calls from coaches late at night, as he was doing homework or even turning in for the evening, from college assistants who wanted to watch film with him.
But there was one college assistant who stood out as different.
Brent Stockstill.
"He would travel all the way to my high school just to see me workout for one day," Ward said. "No other coach ever did that. He'd text me every day, check on me, check on my family. It just felt like a great fit for me."
That personal connection with Stockstill was the biggest reason Ward, a 6-1 wideout from Bessemer, Ala., committed to the Blue Raiders over offers from schools like Florida State, Virginia Tech and West Virginia, not to mention C-USA foes like UAB, FAU and WKU.
Ward enters Murfreesboro with a winning pedigree, coming off of Thompson High School's third straight 7A title in Alabama in 2021. Ward finished his high school career with 161 catches, 2,292 yards and 24 touchdowns. He was a crucial deep threat for a high-powered spread offense at Thompson, his offensive coordinator Bradley Costanzo said.
"He was big, and strong and physical, he really gave us a legitimate vertical deep threat," Costanzo said. "I think the first two catches he caught (for us) were over 50 yards. Just going up and beating the safety or beating the corner and then out jumping the defender."
The Thompson program was loaded with Division I prospects across the roster, from a five-star edge rusher that was the top rated player in Alabama in the class of 2022, Jeremiah Alexander, who signed with the Crimson Tide on NSD), to Ward's QB1, UNC-signee Conner Harrell, to his wideout partner Ryan Peppins, who signed with Utah.
And that's not even getting into the corners Ward had to battle with day-in and day-out in practice, like four-star Trequon Fegans (2022 Alabama Commit) or 2023 five-star Tony Mitchell, the No. 2 cornerback in the entire junior class according to 247 Sports.
Costanzo said that Ward matched up well with that level of competition, and attacked each day with an attitude a coach dreams of.
"He went against the best and he worked hard each and every day," Costanzo said. "Jaylen's very humble. He works each and every day like he's a champion. He's not one of those guys that's going to run up and down the field, hoop and hollering waving to the stands. He's stays in the moment. Nothing bothers him."
Costanzo had even more praise for some of Ward's measurables, specifically his hands, which he says are huge compared to a lot of the great player's he's coached.
"If he gets anywhere close to it, he's going to catch it," Costanzo said. "As a receiver, you couldn't ask for much more than that."
For Ward, who hopes to major in exercise science when he arrives on campus at MTSU, he just wants to make more memories like the one he had in this year's state title game, which Thompson won 38-22 after Ward helped ice the game with a 32-yard catch in the fourth quarter.
"It was just a good experience, because our fans took up the whole UAB stadium," Ward said.
Quick Hits
Favorite Musician: Lil Baby
Favorite Athlete: Terrell Owens
Favorite Food: Hot Wings (Preferably from B-Dubs)
But there was one college assistant who stood out as different.
Brent Stockstill.
"He would travel all the way to my high school just to see me workout for one day," Ward said. "No other coach ever did that. He'd text me every day, check on me, check on my family. It just felt like a great fit for me."
That personal connection with Stockstill was the biggest reason Ward, a 6-1 wideout from Bessemer, Ala., committed to the Blue Raiders over offers from schools like Florida State, Virginia Tech and West Virginia, not to mention C-USA foes like UAB, FAU and WKU.
Ward enters Murfreesboro with a winning pedigree, coming off of Thompson High School's third straight 7A title in Alabama in 2021. Ward finished his high school career with 161 catches, 2,292 yards and 24 touchdowns. He was a crucial deep threat for a high-powered spread offense at Thompson, his offensive coordinator Bradley Costanzo said.
"He was big, and strong and physical, he really gave us a legitimate vertical deep threat," Costanzo said. "I think the first two catches he caught (for us) were over 50 yards. Just going up and beating the safety or beating the corner and then out jumping the defender."
The Thompson program was loaded with Division I prospects across the roster, from a five-star edge rusher that was the top rated player in Alabama in the class of 2022, Jeremiah Alexander, who signed with the Crimson Tide on NSD), to Ward's QB1, UNC-signee Conner Harrell, to his wideout partner Ryan Peppins, who signed with Utah.
And that's not even getting into the corners Ward had to battle with day-in and day-out in practice, like four-star Trequon Fegans (2022 Alabama Commit) or 2023 five-star Tony Mitchell, the No. 2 cornerback in the entire junior class according to 247 Sports.
Costanzo said that Ward matched up well with that level of competition, and attacked each day with an attitude a coach dreams of.
"He went against the best and he worked hard each and every day," Costanzo said. "Jaylen's very humble. He works each and every day like he's a champion. He's not one of those guys that's going to run up and down the field, hoop and hollering waving to the stands. He's stays in the moment. Nothing bothers him."
Costanzo had even more praise for some of Ward's measurables, specifically his hands, which he says are huge compared to a lot of the great player's he's coached.
"If he gets anywhere close to it, he's going to catch it," Costanzo said. "As a receiver, you couldn't ask for much more than that."
For Ward, who hopes to major in exercise science when he arrives on campus at MTSU, he just wants to make more memories like the one he had in this year's state title game, which Thompson won 38-22 after Ward helped ice the game with a 32-yard catch in the fourth quarter.
"It was just a good experience, because our fans took up the whole UAB stadium," Ward said.
Quick Hits
Favorite Musician: Lil Baby
Favorite Athlete: Terrell Owens
Favorite Food: Hot Wings (Preferably from B-Dubs)
Players Mentioned
WR
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