With 44 Offers, 4-Star CB Jared Mayden Set to Make a Decision at The Opening

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Rarely does a recruit with 40-plus offers tiptoe through the recruiting process silently. Sachse, Texas, 4-star cornerback Jared Mayden wouldn't have it any other way.

In fact, on Wednesday, when his offers were brought to his attention, he spoke of them almost as if they were still pleasant surprises.

"I was talking to a Florida coach. He told me they didn't offer a lot of Texas guys," Mayden said. "He asked how many offers I had, and I told him 41.

"I think that's when it really hit me. Sometimes, it's overwhelming. I try not to think about it, but you still notice it. It's cool to have them all."

Now with 44 offers, and with North Carolina as the latest offer, Mayden is one of the nation's most coveted defensive backs. Now at 6'1" and 190 pounds, he's an athlete with great feet, solid makeup speed and an ability to make the tackle from the secondary.

It hit him recently while chatting with another coach that he was pushing south of 50 offers. Reason being: His offer list isn't something he keeps as a first priority. Before anything else, Mayden is preparing to announce his commitment in less than a month.

"I'm going to announce my top list on June 24, my birthday," said Mayden, who will turn 17. "I'm going to commit at The Opening."

Mayden, who showcased his skills at Wednesday's inaugural Showtyme Elite Football Camp, has offers from Ohio State, Oregon, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame, UCLA and Ole Miss, as well as the majority of the Big 12 schools.

Also included on his offer list is Michigan, which he saw in a different light on Wednesday. The Michigan coaching staff was a part of the camp, and he had a chance to not only meet head coach Jim Harbaugh but also experience the intensity that he and his staff bring in drills.

"Coach Harbaugh's a pretty good, pretty cool coach," Mayden said. "To see him running around being active at a camp definitely gives you the sense that he will be fired up and be intense throughout the whole practice."

Michigan's energy was enough to impress Mayden, but will it be enough to completely win him over? Mayden will make his decision between July 5-10 in Beaverton, Oregon, at The Opening—something he's always dreamed about as a college football target.

Credit: 247Sports

The winning school will get a player with good size and a ton of speed. Mayden was clocked in the 40-yard dash at 4.36 seconds at an Oklahoma camp. He comes from an athletic family that includes an older brother at Rice—wide receiver James Mayden—and a younger brother who's a dual-threat quarterback, in 2018 Jalen Mayden.

Mayden didn't give any hints of where he was leaning, but he did mention two schools that had great chances of making the cut on June 24. He said Alabama and Ohio State are two programs that have won him over for various reasons.

"The history of Alabama the last 10 years, you have to like that," Mayden said. "They are always winning some type of bowl game or in a championship game. Plus, they're putting players in the draft. I talk to [defensive backs] Coach Mel Tucker and [head] Coach [Nick] Saban. I like that tradition they have of producing players, and their weight room and facilities are off the charts.

"With Ohio State, I talk to [safeties] Coach [Chris] Ash and [quarterbacks] Coach [Tim] Beck. The campus there is amazing. I was up there for the Michigan game. The fans are amazing. I can see myself playing for the coaches there."

Before he makes a decision, Mayden said he will make some upcoming unofficial visits. On June 22, he said he'll travel to Florida with his mother for two or three days and make stops at Florida, Florida State and Miami. The following week, he'll head to California to visit UCLA.

And what will determine a winner? Mayden said his decision will come down to where he's the most comfortable and where he'll be able to excel the fastest. He's looking for immediate playing time as a freshman, and he's looking to win a lot of games in the process.

"After I make the list, I'll think about some of the schools I've been to and the conversations I've had with some of the coaches," he said. "I definitely want to play a big role in a defensive scheme. I want to see myself living someplace for four or five years."

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles