In July, ESPN 300 prospect Jay Woods (Jackson, Ga./Jackson) narrowed his list of more than 25 offers. On Thursday the 6-foot-2, 280-pound defensive tackle announced his commitment.
Woods chose Vanderbilt over Kentucky and Georgia, giving the Commodores their ninth four-star commitment, fourth ESPN 300 pledge, and 20th commitment overall. He said Georgia was a close second.
"Two weeks ago I could not make up my mind," Woods said after the announcement at his high school. "Vanderbilt was tied with Georgia. But then I felt good on Sunday and I told my mom it was time to make a decision.
"My senior season starts next Friday so I want to get all the distractions out of the way. We weighed the pros and cons of each school and it was not a rushed decision. I feel good about it. I am fully, 100 percent committed to Vanderbilt University."
Vanderbilt has quietly compiled one of the better classes in the country, already ranked No. 20 before Woods' commitment. James Franklin and his coaching staff made Woods a priority during his visit, and their efforts paid off with his addition.
Known as one of the top colleges in the Southeast, Woods sees a lot of advantages of attending Vanderbilt on and off the field.
"Academics wise, they are top notch, so that is another plus," Woods said. "On the football side, I feel like they are building tradition at Vanderbilt, and I would not mind being a part of that. I think I could play earliest at Vanderbilt and I think I could fit well in their 4-3 scheme."
Woods said he plans to take official visits this fall to Georgia, Cal, Nebraska and West Virginia, as well as Vandy.
"Just places I can’t get to on a regular basis," he said of his choices for officials. "Those are the ones I will probably take."
