A week ago, former Florida State safety Jaiden Lars-Woodbey went in to the portal and schools wasted no time hitting him up.
Lars-Woodbey originally signed with Florida State as part of Wille Taggart's first class back in 2018. He was rated the No. 35 player nationally in the247Sport Composite and had an immediate impact, earning freshman All-American honors for the Noles. He suffered a serious knee injury early in his sophomore year and ended up taking a redshirt.
He started this season, playing both safety and linebacker before deciding to opt out earlier this month. He’ll have three years of eligibility left but in a perfect world, would love to just spend one more year in college.
“Ideally, I would love to be one and done,” Lars-Woodbey said. “If I have to stay for two I will but in a perfect world, I’m looking to find a place where I can step in and make an immediate impact.
“I’m doing a lot of research on where I fit in best from a position standpoint, the scheme and the depth chart and who really needs me. I’ve talked to a lot of schools but the main ones I’m focused on right now are Boston College, Notre Dame, Texas and Washington.”
The Huskies already have a handful of former St. John Bosco Braves on the squad.
"I know a lot of guys over there," Lars-Woodbey said. "I know Keith Taylor really well and have already talked to him about how he likes it out there. Plus they have Terrell Bynum, Sean McGrew and a few other players that I know well so I have a strong comfort level with the school.
"You know I gave them a really hard look out of high school and liked them a lot. They were one of my top schools before I originally committed to Ohio State and I visited back in high school as well and liked it a lot there. They have a great campus, it's a beautiful area so I'm giving them a hard look."
Lars-Woodbey said it helps having a relationship with the coaches already in place.
"I know coach Lake really well," Lars-Woodbey said. "We have already talked multiple times and I have talked with Will Harris too. Coach Lake, he does a great job developing defensive backs and getting them to the next level and that's obviously a huge goal of mine.
"He's a coach I really liked back in high school and it has been fun to rekindle that going through the process again here. I'm very familiar with him and the school and what they're about so I think it's a good all around fit."
As for a timeframe of a decision, Lars-Woodbey said he's hoping to commit later this month.
“I would love to be committed before Christmas,” Lars-Woodbey said. “I want to be on campus and be able to practice with the team for their Bowl prep in January if I can.
“The biggest factors for me in the decision are like I said, finding a place where I can impact early, a coaching staff that I have a good relationship with and a place where I can be successful and feel comfortable on and off the field.”