Update Interview with All-American 2021 California DB/OLB Jaden Genova

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG

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The high school football career for Jaden Genova has been all inclusive and auspicious. The 6-0, 205-pound, talent jumped onto the scene as a junior coming up with 78 stops, 14 tackles for a loss, nine sacks, and picked off a pass with time on offense as a short-yardage play-maker with two carries for 12 yards with a score and six receptions for 82 yards and three more touchdowns. That led to a MaxPreps All-American run in 2019 with JSerra Catholic coming up with 84 tackles, eight for a loss, 2.5 sacks, nine QB hurries, three forced fumbles, and three passes defended. The run against Trinity League competition earned Genova three-star recruiting status, All-CIF, and All-League honors. Yet, with all the success, college football programs are unsure how to categorize Genova. All that is set to change as Genova switches from outside linebacker to rover for his senior run.

In an RNG update interview, Genova heads back into the Lab for an update on recruiting and his extended workouts.

*Click link for April 25 RNG interview with Jaden Genova

Interview

Jaden, when we last spoke during the spring time, then you were working on several parts of your game. If you will, update us on all the small details you have focused on throughout the offseason as a defender.

This offseason I have been working on my hips, opening up and getting out. I have been lifting a lot trying to get bigger. The use of my hands, incorporating that more, I needed to work on that even more, but I have been doing that a lot. That is mostly it.

What have you been doing to add more strength to your skillset?

Doing a lot of bench, squat, split squats, and sled pushes – the usual stuff. Doing whatever I can to get stronger.

What have you been doing to increase your speed?

I have been working on my change of direction and getting in and out of breaks. I have been doing hurdle drills, up and over, and turning my hips getting over the hurdle. This offseason I have also been doing a lot of backpedaling, breaking, and going forward and working on my 45-degree angle drops and dropping right and left.

You touched on this, going deeper. Flexibility and hip looseness, if you will, are utmost important for a defender. What kind of stretching routine are you doing?

To stretch, I love doing butterflies. I will put a 15-pound dumb bell on each knee for more of a stretch. The sumo squat, put your elbows in and push out, I like that one as well.

The Lions were running a 3-4 scheme during the 2019 season, is that holding true for the 2020 season?

Yes, sir. We will be switching around a lot this season going into a 3-3.

Are you doing anything differently this season once everything gets going?

Yes, this year I will play more of a rover. I will be all over the field this season in pass coverage, run fill, and coming of the edge. Wherever the coaches want me, that is where I will be.

Let’s cover some ground on recruiting. Which schools are showing interest?

Rice, UC-Davis, Cal-Poly, and Columbia.

How many offers do you have now?

Four; I got my latest offer from Lake Erie in June.

Genova’s Offer Sheet: Army, Idaho State, Lake Erie, and Oregon

Have you done any virtual visits this summer?

Yes, I was able to visit Columbia, Cal-Poly, and Army

If campuses were to open next week, are there any visits you’d like to take?

I would definitely love to see Army, Cal-Poly and UC-Davis as well.

Without visits happening, and the oddity to all going on with recruiting, do you have a commitment date in mind?

I don’t have a commitment date in mind at the moment. Right now, I am waiting to see my options and to see if anything changes. When I do commit, it will be more towards signing day.

Putting it all together, what are you looking for in that ideal fit at the next level?

Academics is a big thing, that degree needs to standout. Where the team wants to play me and where the school is located. Location is key, but not proximity to home but a cool location. I will go anywhere, but I want a location where I want to live.

What position at the next level are you wanting to play?

I’d love to play rover like I will be doing this season. This offseason I have been watching film on my position seeing what I am able to do and what I will be playing. That position is something special. I feel that I can make all the plays from that position given the opportunity.

Jaden, I believe you can as well. It was great catching up with you. Keep up the hard work until we talk sometime closer to the start of the 2020 season.

Yes, sir. Thank you.

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Photo credit: Genova family; Jaden Genova