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How 8th Grader Jayden Beckley Secured Multiple Division I Offers Weeks After Bus Tour

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In an impressive feat, eighth grader Jayden Beckley has captured the attention of multiple FBS college programs after attending the Elite Talent Academy Elevate Your Game Bus Tour in early June. Organized by the founder of Elite Talent Football and CEO Derrick Tatum and Calvin Richardson, this year’s tour was different, with an average GPA of 3.5 for over 56 athletes from nine different states, with athletes attending from as far as Colorado. Elite Talent Bus Tours in the past have been instrumental in helping thousands of athletes secure offers and scholarships from major college programs. Each year, the bus tour travels to the Sound Mind Sound Body (SMSB) National Combine in Detroit, Michigan, to showcase athletes. Along the way, there are stops at multiple college camps, with scheduled visits to various college campuses from Division I to Division III. Held at Wayne State University, SMSB is the world’s largest high school combine, featuring over 1,500 top athletes from America and Canada in attendance. It is an environment where starred and under-recruited athletes are just a number fighting for the attention of over 200 colleges from Division I to Division III to coach and evaluate athletes.

As a client of Elite Talent Academy, Jayden Beckley received mentorship on interacting with coaches and excelling at camps. During a seven-day camp tour, he participated in the SMSB Combine, Toledo Camp, Bowling Green Camp, and Cincinnati Camp. Additionally, the tour included visits to the University of Kentucky, the University of Michigan, Michigan State, and several other Division I to Division III schools.

Jayden dominated the competition at each camp, showcasing his high-level skills against athletes from across the country. His impressive performance in one-on-one drills, where he excelled in the trenches, highlighted his athletic prowess and bright future. Jayden’s outstanding abilities earned him offers from Morgan State University and Wayne State University at the SMSB Camp, followed by additional offers from Marshall University, Boston College, Syracuse University, and West Virginia.

Jayden’s journey to these offers began with attending several Elite Training Sessions with Derrick Tatum, where he prepared Jayden and his family with a path forward and a recruitment plan. His dedication was evident in his performance at the camps, where he stood out among hundreds of athletes at every camp he attended. In some cases, he even outperformed upperclassmen in both testing and physicality, catching the eye of many college coaches.

Our assessment of Jayden is that he is a well-mannered and coachable player. His natural talent is evident when you see him move. At 6’1″ and 260 pounds, his build is impressive for an eighth-grader. His agility and smooth, deliberate movements are explosive with minimal wasted motion. As a two-time New Jersey State Middle School Wrestling Champ, his wrestling experience has honed his skills as a defensive lineman, allowing him to play fast with great bend and power. Despite some raw qualities typical of young athletes, he was well-prepared for what the college coaches threw at him during the drills.

Academically, Jayden sets the standard for student-athletes, boasting a 4.0 GPA. His potential to excel athletically and academically is unquestionable as he transitions to high school. Unsurprisingly, he’s already projecting as a Division I athlete with more offers to come. His current trajectory suggests he will soon become a top nationally-ranked athlete, potentially earning three to four-star rankings from 247 Sports, On3.com, and ESPN.

According to our metrics, his size and performance project him as a URA 4-Star athlete based on our first-hand evaluation of him during SMSB Camp. With further development, Jayden has the potential to play and dominate New Jersey high school football early in his high school career. Academically, he is the prototype many schools seek, from FBS to Ivy League. Jayden’s story is a testament to what can be achieved with hard work, dedication, and passion. As he prepares for his freshman season with Bergen Catholic High School, keep an eye on this promising young talent.