CHESAPEAKE, VA (WTKR)- Jayden Covil has watched family members go through the recruiting process before. Now it's his turn to make a name for himself and savor the experience.
The Oscar Smith defensive back verbally committed to continue his career at Virginia on Sunday night, making the announcement on social media. He picked the Cavaliers over Wake Forest, Duke and Penn State.
"It's the atmosphere," Covil said of UVA on Monday. "How the coaches run themselves everyday. It's just how they bring it to the field, like the energy and everything. They could build me into a man in the future."
Covil, ranked as a three-star recruit, said the coaching staff spoke to him about rebuilding and getting the program back to what it used to be. The rising senior noted the Wahoos hope he can play right away, but also advised him that he needed to put on some weight and get bigger during the offseason.
"It's a great feeling," he said of having the decision made. "I've been waiting a long time, going through my brother's process and seeing him commit, I've been waiting a long time for it and just glad to be here."
Covil's older brother, Sherrod, is one of those older guys he watched navigate college recruiting. The elder Covil picked Clemson before transferring to Virginia Tech prior to the upcoming season. Having him provide a road map to the process and serve as a sounding board was key in Jayden's own decision.
"His whole process guided me through it," the younger Covil pointed out. "Seeing his ups and downs and everything he went through in his whole college journey, it helped me a lot."
So with a Cavalier and a Hokie in the house, will the rivalry follow the siblings home for holidays?
"My cousin, Jahmari DeLoatch, is also at Virginia Tech," he smiled. "He's been sending some shots my way, too, so there's going to be shots here and there, but it's all family at the end of the day."
With the college commitment taken care of, Covil now turns his attention to his senior year at Oscar Smith, where he and his teammates take aim at back-to-back state crowns. The cornerback came away with three interceptions in 2024 and was key in coverage for the Tigers and now can focus exclusively on capping off his high school career strong.
"It's been a stressful process going from college to college every weekend and I'm just glad to be at UVA."
