High school football: Division I chance for Salisbury pass rusher Warren
Published Thursday, March 7, 2024 at 12:00 a.m.
- Jayden Warren of Salisbury 7.Photo by Wayne Hinshaw, Salisbury Post
mike london
mike.london@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — Salisbury graduate Jayden Warren, who graduated in December, was a backup receiver and defensive back on his high school team as a junior.
He is currently a Division I football player, signed with North Carolina Central University and an Eagle player.
Warren was scouted by the program that won the HBCU national championship by defeating favorite Jackson State in the 2022 Celebration Bowl. He was scouted by a nationally ranked program and debuted in the FCS playoffs in 2023.
Sports are all about opportunity, and a teammate's injury changed Warren's life. With the Hornets down, Salisbury needed depth at defensive end, and assistant coach Wesley Jackson suggested considering Warren there.
“Coach Jackson saw me as a DB with long arms who could play defensive end,” Warren said.
The change in position pried the door open, and Warren, who recorded a sack in his first game as a pass rusher and experienced the adrenaline rush that came with it, kicked it open. He found the position he was born to play.
At the end of his junior season, Warren was still far from attracting college attention, but the weight room became his home for several months before his senior year. He changed his body from 195 pounds to 225 pounds and his arms also gained a lot of weight. his legs and chest. The 6-foot-2 stud gained confidence and authority, becoming a huge addition to the Hornets' strong defensive line.
“I think I realized that defensive end was what I was always meant to be,” Warren said.
Coach Clayton Tribbett and his staff named Warren a potential starter for the 2023 season, but his name was inked on the depth chart after opening night. They expected him to be good, but he was better than that. He became a nightmare for opposing offensive coordinators.
“I had two sacks in the first game,” Warren recalled. “And at that time, I knew everything was going to be fine. I think the game against North Rowan (three sacks) was my best game, but I was pretty consistent all season.”
The final numbers were crazy. He was recognized as the state leader in sacks with 20. He had 50 quarterback hurries, 37.5 lost tackles, six fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles. The high school OT placed him on the all-state second team in all weight classes for public and private schools.
Closer to home, Warren was named Rowan County's Secondary Defensive Player of the Year by the Post, along with North Rowan tackling machine Kolon Miller. Warren was named the Central Carolina Conference Lineman of the Year by the league's coaches.
Warren's recruiting efforts never reached their peak. He announced himself with authority, but he did it late in the game. At most Division I schools, a freshman was identified and solidified while still in his junior year.
“We had two main goals when it came to recruiting,” Warren said. “I really wanted to go to Division I and I really wanted to go to an HBCU school.”
It's late in the middle of January, and the signing date in early February is approaching. At that point, Savannah State showed the most interest in Warren and was one of his options.
Gardner-Webb, a Division I non-HBCU school, had lost some portal personnel and had learned about Warren and was planning an official visit to Boiling Springs.
But then Warren got a call from North Carolina Central.
“They had contacted me previously and they were one of the schools we sent film to,” Warren said. “They wanted to talk and they wanted me to visit, so I went to Durham the weekend after visiting Gardner-Webb.”
It was a perfect Saturday visit with the coaches, players, campus, city, everything. The coaches took Warren and his family out to dinner. By the time he finished eating, he was ready.
“From the moment I arrived, it felt like home, it felt like family,” Warren said. “I formed an immediate bond with North Carolina Central.”
NC Central checked all the boxes: Division I, strong program, flagship HBCU school, and academic excellence.
Warren is an excellent student who dreams of earning a master's degree and a doctorate far beyond the field of soccer.
He's currently working and getting paid for the Dix and is headed to North Carolina Central in July.
“They want their football players to enroll early in summer school,” Warren said. “With six credit hours of study, you can get a head start on your goal of graduating in three and a half years.”
It should be similarly eventful on the field. North Carolina Central's 2024 schedule begins with a trip to Miami to take on Alabama State. The Eagles will also face Elon, UNC and rival North Carolina A&T before beginning league play against traditional foes in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
