TYLER, Texas — East Texas has become a breeding ground for some of the nation's top recruits and Monday, a Tyler Legacy athlete became the latest star to make the major decision regarding his future.
Jordan Renaud, a four-star edge rusher out of Tyler Legacy, had one decision to make: choose to make either Alabama or Oklahoma home for the next few years.
"With that being said," Renaud announced. "I'm taking my talents to Alabama."
The defensive end announced the decision in a room full of friends and family during a live event hosted by 247sports.
"I had to like really think about my future, like for my kids," Renaud said. "Not saying that I couldn't be prosperous at both schools, because I feel like I could have been prosperous at both schools, but I felt like the challenge of being stretched and being pushed on a daily basis would come from Alabama. Also, the school that has been producing a lot of people in the league is Alabama."
Renaud held offers from Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Houston, Indiana, Iowa State, Liberty, Louisiana State University, Miami, Michigan, Ole Miss, Southern Methodist University, South Carolina, Texas Christian University, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Central Florida, Bowling Green and Jackson State.
Renaud’s father, Joel Renaud, has had a front row seat to the recruiting frenzy as his coach. He's also on the coaching staff at Tyler Legacy.
"I would ask him from time to time, 'where you leaning?'" Joel Renaud said. "He said 'Dad, you'll know when you know.' I'm thinking one thing and he totally psyched me out."
Tyler Legacy head coach Joe Willis now has back to back seasons sending an athlete to the top football program in the country.
"Anytime we get a chance to send players off to really good programs like Alabama," Willis said. "It shows our guys here putting in a lot of work. That's obviously a great accomplishment, huge deal for Jordan's family. But to go to Alabama and play in one of the best places in the nation, having two guys in two years, it's really special."
Renaud will join Legacy's 2021 running back Jamarion Miller at Alabama, where the two have stayed close.
"The advice he gave me was 'bro, take all your visits. Talk to God and make sure your family approves,'" Renaud said. "He told me those three things. He never persuaded me to go to Alabama. I just felt like Alabama fit me on a different scale."
