Catching Up With Jaiden Patterson Before His Early Enrollment
Jaiden Patterson is a 6-foot-1, 170-pound 3-star class of 2024 defensive back who attends Mill Creek High School in Hoschton, GA, and will sign with North Carolina next week and enroll in January.
He is projected to play safety in college, though he’s graded by Rivals as a cornerback. UNC Coach Mack Brown along with secondary coaches Jason Jones and Charlton Warren visited Patterson at his home last week. We caught up with him the next day.
Here is everything that Patterson had to say about Carolina:
THI: Tell us how your big, in-home visit from Mack Brown, Jason Jones, and Charlton Warren went.
PATTERSON: “It was really cool. We all went to my living room, sat down, and talked about (several subjects). We discussed the fact that I’m graduating early and already finishing up my classes, which is good. We talked about the upcoming (Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte vs. West Virginia) and how I’m going to be up there on the 22nd (to meet the team to practice for the bowl game. We talked about how good the 2024 recruiting class looks, and the fact that 21 (signees) are coming in early, which is very significant.
“Coach Brown also mentioned how the early (high school) graduates will work out separately from the rest of the team in the beginning of the spring, so we can (adjust) to the workout (tempo). Then, we took a photo before they hit the road.”
THI: What do you like about Mack Brown not just as a coach, but as a person off the field?
PATTERSON: “I like how Coach Brown really cares about (the well being) of his players. He treats them as if they are his own kids and is always going to try to put (myself and others) in the best situation possible.”
THI: What is the “it” factor that set apart Hall of Fame head coach Mack Brown and the culture he has built at Carolina from all of the other schools recruiting you to campus?
PATTERSON: “The ‘it’ factor with Coach Brown is definitely the way the coaches. He (attains) success everywhere he goes, and because of it, he builds an (excellent) support staff around him. Because of this, (and other reasons) see myself as one of his players.”
THI: What makes you most excited to get your career started in Chapel Hill?
PATTERSON: “What makes me most excited to play for Carolina is (because) I can show (all) that I can (truly) prove myself on the field and help the team out in any way possible.”
THI: Where do the Tar Heels see you fitting in schematically on defense, and how does Carolina see your skillset translating on the field from a physicality standpoint?
PATTERSON: “Coach (Charlton Warren) said he wants me to play free safety. He said he likes my speed and length, as well as my (field vision).”
THI: Has the Class of 2024 discussed team goals when coming into campus, and what does the group (seek) to accomplish while balling in Chapel Hill for the next four years?
PATTERSON: “Yes. Our 2024 class has talked about how we want to do great things and win and shine as a program.”