Jadon Haselwood aims to be Cedar Grove鈥檚 next NFL draft pick
ELLENWOOD, Ga. (BVM) 鈥� Jadon Haselwood is ready to take the next step in his football career. On Nov. 28, the University of Arkansas wide receiver announced his intention to enter the 2023 NFL Draft.
尝耻惫鈥︷煠燄煆�
— Jadon Haselwood 馃幈 (@jadon_haselwood)
With his entry into the draft, Haselwood could continue the recent string of good fortune for his former high school program. Haselwood attended Cedar Grove High School in Ellenwood, Georgia near Atlanta. The team became a powerhouse in the late 2010s, winning four Georgia High School Association Class 3A state championships over the past five years.
This has helped the program become nationally recognized and that perception has even reached the NFL levels. During the 2022 NFL Draft, the Saints had the most former players selected from a high school program as three alumni, Jelani Woods, DeAngelo Malone and Justin Shaffer, were chosen.
So far this season, the three players have had varying degrees of success. Woods has been the most productive, recording 17 catches for 205 yards and three scores for the Indianapolis Colts. Malone has played sparingly for the Atlanta Falcons, recording 20 tackles and one sack. Shaffer has yet to play for the Falcons as he was placed on the practice squad injury list in November.
While these three were high-end prospects coming out of Cedar Grove, Haselwood topped them all. Haselwood was at the school for two of the Saints state titles, in 2016 and 2018, and was one of the stars during the 2018 campaign. In fact, it was Haselwood who secured the 2018 state championship as he caught the game-winning touchdown with 10 seconds left to give Cedar Grove the 14-13 victory.
That catch capped off a season where Haselwood racked up 53 catches for 1,032 yards and 11 touchdowns. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound wideout was ranked as the No. 1 wide receiver and one of the top five overall prospects in the .听
Given his excellent skillset, Haselwood had his choice of programs to choose from and ultimately committed to the offensive powerhouse University of Oklahoma. Over three seasons with the Sooners, Haselwood recorded 62 receptions for 736 yards and seven scores in 28 games with 12 starts.
Looking for more opportunities, Haselwood transferred to the University of Arkansas last December. The move paid off for the receiver as he had his best season to date with 59 catches for 702 yards and three touchdown receptions.
Now, Haselwood will look to show NFL scouts that he still has the skills that made him a top-five prospect coming into the college levels. With a strong junior campaign under his belt, Haselwood could become the next NFL Draft pick to hail from Cedar Grove, further adding to the Knights鈥� recent legacy of dominance.
