For the past two years, Jayden Wayne has been far from home — more than 2,700 miles to be exact. The list of the things the sophomore edge rusher missed is fairly simple.
His family, his parents and three siblings, are first and foremost, followed by his friends. The Tacoma community that saw Wayne become a national recruit is next.
Wayne has one final addition to the list.
“The Chinese food is way better out here than in Miami,” he said.
The 6-foot-6, 260-pound Wayne spent the first 17 years of his life in the South Sound, starring at Lincoln High School of Tacoma where he was the top football recruit in the state in 2023.
After a two-year sojourn in Florida including a season at Miami, Wayne transferred to Washington for the 2024 season, announcing his return to the Pacific Northwest on April 30.
“It feels good,” he said. “I’m just around my family. It’s nice. It’s a good feeling.”
Early attention
Masaki Matsumoto knew he was watching something special during Wayne’s freshman year. The Lincoln coach had seen his share of talent during his nine years coaching the Abes, but Wayne stood out.
It wasn’t just the frame — Wayne already stood 6-foot-3½ and weighed 200 pounds as a freshman — that impressed Matsumoto.
Matsumoto said Wayne’s relaxed attitude is occasionally misconstrued as lack of interest or effort, but the Lincoln coach called Wayne one of the most mature kids he’s ever been around at the high school level.
Donald Wayne Jr., Jayden’s father, compared his son’s demeanor to Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard’s.
“He’s a quiet kid, sort of an introvert,” Matsumoto said. Jayden generally answers questions with 15 words or less. “But super respectful. He was a great kid, never had any issues in terms of behavior. Humble, especially considering the talent he has. He never acted like he was better than his teammates.”
Wayne racked up 27 tackles, two sacks, a pass deflection and five quarterback hurries in 10 games as a freshman at Lincoln, despite only earning a starting spot with five games remaining in the season.
A year later, he registered 35 tackles, including two more sacks while playing in six games after the season was shortened because of the COVID pandemic. Wayne contracted the virus before the season began and lost around 20 pounds. He gained the weight back by working out in the family’s garage before the season.
Wayne’s play earned him national recruiting attention and had him ranked as the No. 14 prospect following his sophomore season by the 247Sports composite ranking.
More than 40 schools offered him scholarships, a veritable “who’s who” of college football blue bloods.
Recruiting calls weren’t new to the Wayne household. Daeshawn Wayne, Jayden’s older brother, earned a scholarship to play football at Georgetown after a standout career at Lakes High School.
But the attention Jayden received was new to the family. Donald said he remembers picking up the phone and hearing Alabama’s Nick Saban or Georgia’s Kirby Smart on the other end asking to speak about his son.
“When you start getting those phone calls,” Donald said, “you know this is for real.”
Wayne already held an offer to play collegiate football before he’d even played a single down for Matsumoto at Lincoln. Mario Cristobal, then the coach at Oregon, had extended a scholarship to an eighth-grade Wayne on July 27, 2019.
Cristobal moved to Miami before the 2022 season, but kept in contact with Wayne, who enjoyed another dominant season at Lincoln. He had 44 tackles including 16 tackles for a loss as a junior, while adding 13 quarterback hurries and nine sacks.
“I was just trying to keep grinding and stay focused,” Wayne said.
A Floridian odyssey
Choosing where to begin his collegiate career wasn’t the only decision Wayne contemplated during the summer of 2022.
Three days before announcing the top six schools he was considering, Wayne made another social media announcement. He’d decided to play his senior season at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., the football talent factory that produced 2024 first-round draft picks JC Latham and J.J. McCarthy, among a host of others.
IMG Academy initially approached the Waynes about Jayden after his sophomore year, but his parents felt it was too early for him to leave home.
The school reached out again following his junior season, and this time, Donald and Courtney Wayne let their son make the decision. His father added it was easier to consider sending his son across the country because of the consistent maturity Jayden displayed.
Heading to IMG Academy had some major advantages for Wayne. He wanted to enroll early to participate in spring football for whatever school he committed to. The increased level of competition, practice schedule and weight room were also compelling.
“I was on my own,” he said. “So I had to just be more responsible, communicate more.”
Wayne, who had been the top recruit in Washington from the moment he stepped onto Lincoln’s field, was simply one of many elite prospects in Florida. He finished his high school career as the No. 13 player at his position in the country, but the No. 21 player in Florida.
He quickly extended his stay. Wayne announced his commitment to Cristobal and his new school, Miami, on July 9, 2022.
“They liked my character,” he said. “They were consistent, and it felt like family down there.”
Wayne spent one season at Miami, playing eight games after overcoming another bout of COVID. He made 13 tackles and registered half a sack in limited action as a true freshman.
The Hurricanes, however, scuffled in Cristobal’s second season. They finished 7-6 overall and 3-5 in the ACC. Wayne made his first start during the Pinstripe Bowl and made three tackles, but Miami lost to Rutgers 31-24.
Despite the disappointing season, Donald said his son hadn’t anticipated leaving Miami. Cristobal, facing a crucial 2024 campaign after going 12-13 in his first two seasons in Coral Gables, Fla., told Jayden the Hurricanes were emphasizing transfer portal veterans. The sophomore edge rusher wasn’t going to see much playing time if he remained at Miami, though he was welcome to stay.
So Wayne announced he was entering the transfer portal on April 23, just 10 days after playing in Miami’s spring game.
“It was just like high school all over again,” Donald said. “A bunch of phone calls, texts. So he got that anxiety about it again. He still doesn’t like — never liked the recruiting process.”
Wayne had offers from USC, UCLA, Missouri, California, Kansas, Nebraska and Mississippi State among others. But Washington wanted Wayne’s first visit, and he was impressed by the vision coach Jedd Fisch, defensive coordinator Steve Belichick and defensive line coach Jason Kaufusi pitched. Wayne committed to the Huskies four days after his visit to Montlake started.
“I just felt like Coach Fisch was real with me,” Jayden said.
Donald said it was a joy to hear his son was going to play at Washington. For the past two years, the Wayne family has only been able to watch a handful of games and they’re excited to be so close this season.
Keiyon Wayne, Jayden’s younger brother, is an incoming freshman at Washington this year, and the siblings are planning to room together, just like they did while growing up in Tacoma.
“It’s going to be pretty dope,” Jayden said. “Like high school days. Me and [Keiyon] going to the same school is going to be pretty cool.”
Daeshawn is back in the Puget Sound area, too, after graduating from Georgetown in May, and their younger sister, Neiyonne’, recently participated in UW’s running start program. All four of the siblings are back home for the first time in more than four years.
“It’s amazing,” Donald said. “Every parent wants their child closer to them. I wanted him to follow his dreams wherever that was, but if he can be close to home and do it, I love it.”
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