Woodside DE Breyden Byrd (Photo: Joe Barnes/recruit757)
After much consideration, Breyden Byrd picks Annapolis
by Andy Hilton, recruit757
Over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Woodside defensive end Breyden Byrd (2021 DE 6-4 240) made his college choice.
After accruing somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 college opportunities, he came around to the decision that had been obvious to him for quite some time.
The United States Naval Academy was calling, and he couldn’t pass it up.
“This decision is beyond football. It’s about the next 40 years of your life, not just the next four. The Naval Academy offers great D1 FBS football, great education, focuses on leadership and provides benefits that are hard to beat. I am very thankful,” Byrd said via Twitter DM on Sunday. “It’s a blessing to be apart of the Navy Midshipmen Brotherhood!”
Byrd was well on his way to picking the Midshipmen before last week, but the achievement of fellow Wolverine Tyhier Tyler couldn’t have hurt his perception of service academy football.
After a November 21 win over Georgia Southern, Tyler earned recognition as the AWPAA Athlete of the Week for leading the Army Black Knights in his first career start at quarterback. Army, Navy and Air Force play good football and they have a strong rivalry between them.
COMMITTED⚓️ 🙏🏽
Full video on Instagram https://t.co/bBXYSus7Yd pic.twitter.com/LNQOuDvB6i— Breyden Byrd (@BreydenByrd) November 26, 2020
“I knew back in August Navy was home. I made a top seven a few months ago before that which consisted of Army, University of Richmond, William & Mary, University of New Hampshire, Furman, NSU, and of course Navy,” he said. “I had a game day visit last season and definitely loved it.”
Division I athletic programs are in an NCAA mandated dead period for recruiting that runs until April at this point. That means that NCAA Division I schools can’t host prospective athletes and can’t leave the college campus to recruit. Fortunately for Byrd, he laid the groundwork for a solid recruitment in his junior year.
He closed the conversation about his recruitment with a word of thanks.
“I thank God for being in this position during these tough times,” Byrd declared.
Byrd is the fifth local commitment for the Naval Academy in the recruiting class of 2021. Salem wide receiver Desmond Green, Cox linebacker Dominic Wilson, Norview defensive end Donovan Everette, and Kellam linebacker Kemari Copeland have also committed to the Midshipmen.
– Andy Hilton
