Ex-Miami Edge Jayden Wayne Returns Home, Commits to Washington
Four different head football coaches at the University of Washington have tried to get Jayden Wayne to be a Husky.
On Tuesday, Jedd Fisch reeled him in.
“I’m coming home,” Wayne posted to social media Tuesday afternoon with a commitment graphic announcing his decision.
A former standout two-way player at Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Wash., Wayne transferred to IMG Academy for his senior season before playing his freshman year at the University of Miami as an edge rusher in 2023.
The one-time five-star recruit in the ’23 class was recruited by former UW coaches Chris Petersen, Jimmy Lake and Kalen DeBoer, but none of the trio proved able to keep the talented athlete home.
“I really liked talking with all the coaches,” Wayne told Inside The Huskies after his decision.
“Coach Fisch is straight forward and committed to help me develop. They were the first to reach out [after entering the transfer portal] and really wanted me to visit. It was one of my top schools before, so it was an easy decision to visit. It feels good to be back home around my family.”
UW hosted Wayne for his first and only official visit this past weekend, as reported by Inside The Huskies.
Washington Huskies defensive coordinator Steve Belichick (left) with former Miami edge Jayden Wayne (right) during an official visit on April 27, 2024. Jayden Wayne / @officialjaydenwayne IG
Although it appeared that a handful of other schools would get a subsequent visit from the former Hurricane, none took place.
During his 48 hours on campus Wayne spent a large portion of time meeting with UW defensive coordinator Steve Belichick.
“Belichick is passionate,” he said. “I like how he breaks the defense down. He can use me in multiple ways – it just felt genuine.”
Wayne is the second Miami transfer to end up at Washington, joining redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Logan Sagapolu who announced his commitment on April 22, one day before Wayne entered the transfer portal.
Sagapolu, a 6-foot-2 and 340-pound native of West Jordan, Utah, is expected to flip over and play along the interior defensive line at UW.
Wayne becomes UW’s fourth transfer addition since the portal opened in mid-April and the highest rated transfer in Fisch’s brief time as coach.
The two former Hurricanes, along with Portland State offensive lineman D’Angelo Titialii and Oklahoma defensive back Justin Harrington, comprise the Huskies’ transfer additions this spring.
Wayne, a 6-foot-6 and 245-pound sophomore edge, appeared in eight games as a freshman at Miami with one start in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl against Rutgers.
He recorded 13 total tackles as a freshman, including three in his first start in the bowl game.