Alabama Crimson Tide – No. 9 | |
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Position | Cornerback |
Class | Freshman |
Personal information | |
Born: | [1] Clay, Alabama | September 28, 2005
Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
Weight | 170 lb (77 kg) |
Career history | |
College |
|
High school | Clay-Chalkville (Pinson, Alabama) |
Jaylen Mbakwe (born September 28, 2005)[1] is an American football cornerback for the Alabama Crimson Tide and is one of the top players in the 2024 class.
Mbakwe attended Clay-Chalkville High School in Pinson, Alabama where he played football and ran track.[2] He entered his junior year with more than 60 scholarship offers.[3] That year he played as both a wide receiver and cornerback.[3] For his senior season, he moved to quarterback and led his team to an Alabama 6A title.[4] He rushed 148 times and recorded over 1,000 yards on the ground while accumulating 23 touchdowns.[4] He also passed for 2,007 yards and 20 TD, and was named MVP of the state championship game after throwing and rushing for 282 yards and 4 touchdowns.[5] Over the course of his high school career, he lined up as a receiver, running back, defensive back, kick/punt returner, and quarterback.[6][7] Following his senior season, Mbakwe earned a spot to play in the Under Armour All-America Game and also played in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game.[7]
A five-star recruit, Mbakwe committed to play college football at the University of Alabama over offers from Georgia, USC, LSU, and Notre Dame.[8]
Despite Nick Saban's retirement upon the conclusion of the 2023 season, Mbakwe remained firm in his commitment to Alabama.[9]
US college sports recruiting information for 2024 recruits | ||||||
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Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
Jaylen Mbakwe CB |
Clay, Alabama | Clay-Chalkville | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | Jul 26, 2022 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: 92 |