Jaylen Moody: “This is where I want to be at.”
Alabama linebacker Jaylen Moody met with reporters on Tuesday and talked about his decision to return to Alabama. Moody had placed his name into the NCAA transfer portal in January before removing it a week later.
"This is where I want to be at. Alabama has always been a home for me for four years. Going into my last year, I want to make an impact."
Patience has worked out for a number of Alabama players in recent memory. Mac Jones sat behind Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa for three seasons before taking over as the signal-caller in 2020. In his lone season as the starter, Jones set the single-season record for completion percentage (77.4) and led Alabama to a national championship. Brian Robinson waited behind a number of NFL running backs before becoming the lead back in his fifth season in Tuscaloosa. He led the SEC with 14 rushing touchdowns in 2021 and set the Alabama record for rushing yards in a bowl game (204).
Jalyn Armour-Davis battled back from a severe knee injury and worked primarily on special teams before cracking the starting lineup as a redshirt junior this past season. The Alabama native was one of two Power 5 cornerbacks with three-plus interceptions and zero touchdowns allowed in coverage.
Moody, a former three-star recruit in the 2018 recruiting cycle is entering his fifth season on campus. The South Carolina native appeared in all 15 games this past season, registering 11 tackles and an interception as a reserve linebacker and on special teams. He is the favorite to fill the void left by Christian Harris in 2022.
“Oh he brings a whole bunch of energy, motivation," safety Jordan Battle said. "Moody gets better and better each year. He’s been waiting a long time, and it’s time to respond to the call. Moody’s doing a great job."