Liberty recently was able to welcome four-star quarterback Jayden Bradford to campus for an official visit. The 6’0″, 185 pound prospect attends IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. He is rated as either a four-star or three-star prospect depending on which service you look at.
“It was amazing, to be honest,” Bradford said of his official visit at Liberty. “Going up there I didn’t really know what to expect, I was just going up there with an open mind and an open heart. They were very hospitable to me. They showed my family a great time. We had a great time hanging out with the coaches, going to dinner, and doing the day by day things that you do on an official visit. It was great. They treated me and my family well.”
Bradford has a long list of offers including several from the Power Five such as Penn State, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Louisville, Missouri, NC State, South Carolina, Syracuse, Vanderbilt, and Virginia Tech. Bradford’s Group of Five offers include Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Georgia State, UNLV, and UAB.
Bradford is originally from South Carolina where he attended Chapin High School before transferring to national powerhouse IMG Academy.
“They recruited me back in my freshman and sophomore year,” Bradford said of Liberty head coach Jamey Chadwell and quarterbacks coach Willy Korn of when they were at Coastal Carolina. “They got the job at Liberty and they said I was the first guy that they hopped on. It was good to hear that from the staff. Obviously, they are a well-deserved staff. Everywhere they have gone they’ve won. Just to hear that from them means a lot to me and I really appreciate them taking the time to recruit me.”
Liberty and the new coaching staff have obviously made a big impact on Bradford as the Flames have made a strong push for his services, offering him in May. One of the biggest things that stood out for him about Liberty was Coach Korn attending his spring game.
“Coach Korn came out to see me for my spring game,” he said. “That really showed a lot to me how much he really wants me to get down there and see the program. The fact that he took the time out to come see me in my element and see what I do best, it meant a lot for me that he came out there. So, I felt like I had to go out there to see him and get a feel for what it’s like in his element, see what Liberty was like. I’m really glad I did, it was a great time.”
Following his visit, Bradford says Liberty has joined the list of several Power Five schools at the top of his list, alongside Penn State, South Carolina, Syracuse, and Illinois.
“I would say they are one of the front-runners for my recruitment,” Bradford said of Liberty.”
Bradford is the only quarterback that Liberty brought in for an official visit this summer, as the Flames’ coaching staff have zeroed in on him as their top target at the position for the 2024 class.
“I enjoyed the dinner,” he said of the highlight of his trip to Liberty. “Sitting at the dinner with my whole family, being there with all the coaches, it was just a good time to get to socialize with them and kind of pick their brain and not really be on X’s and O’s, all about football, just talk to them on a personal level and see who they are.”
He says he hopes to finalize his recruitment this summer and commit before his senior season at IMG begins.
Last year at IMG, Bradford completed 71 of 91 passes (78%) for 1,071 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. He also rushed the ball 27 times for 53 yards and 2 additional scores. He hopes to take his game to the next level this coming year while also propelling his team.
“I want to have a great year with my boys and win a national championship,” he said. “That’s always a goal at the end of the day, that’s what we’re going to try to get done.”
Bradford has a few things that he is most looking for in his college home.
“I definitely want to go to a school that wants me,” he said. “I want them to want me to be there and play for their program and be the face of their program, as well as the school that’s going to develop me and prepare me for the next level. That’s really important for me. The school that cares about me, the school that’s not going to treat me like a number but a person and someone that is really active in the community.”
