Five-star Peyton Woodyard reflects on 'dream school' flip to Alabama
Peyton Woodyard knows how to play patient.
The five-star Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco waited years after his recruitment began to pick a college program and he'll wait a matter of weeks to get back on the field after a minor knee injury cut his 2023 season debut short last weekend.
Even after the initial commitment to Georgia in January, it was apparent other coaching staffs wouldn't slow down for the safety projection. USC, Ohio State and Alabama, nearly six months later, proved persistent enough to get Woodyard back on campus for official visits and one of the trips would alter his trajectory.
It was the Alabama adventure the weekend of June 23, the last of the official visit swings he made throughout the month.
"After that first day of the official visit, I would look at my parents and they were just giving me looks," Woodyard told Rivals, smiling. "It was just like, 'this feels nice. This feels right.'
"They knew it was my dream school and my dad's favorite school. It's one thing to play at your dream school, it's another to be a priority to play at your dream school."
Despite the high emotion while in Tuscaloosa, Woodyard wouldn't go public with the change of heart until the month of August, in time for the start of his senior season. He let Nick Saban and the Alabama staff know while on FaceTime.
"All the coaches were in the room and it was me, my mom and my dad all in our 'Bama gear," he said. "So then I told them.
'Bama being my dream school, I felt like I would be doing a disservice if I didn't allow myself to follow my dream. I've got family there, my dad is from there, and my whole family is happy."
The Crimson Tide commitment's father, Gerald Woodyard, was born in Mobile before his family moved to California. The Roll Tide fandom remained and it's played a big part within the family.
Alabama never slowed for Woodyard, even through the commitment to Kirby Smart and UGA. Now, it's UA's coaches building a plan with the Californian by the time he moves to Tuscaloosa for good.
"Just kind of my relationship with Saban and T-Rob (Travaris Robinson), and how it's grown," Woodyard said of time since the pledge. "I'll work the free safety role. I'll be back there with Caleb (Downs), but I have to earn it. I'm trying to be back there with him and just be the general back there, and do a little bit of everything.
"Cover deep, work the run and cover a tight end, safeties have to do everything."
Going forward, assuming an on-field return draws near, Woodyard has simple goals for 2023.
"I just want to get healthy and beat the team in red (Mater Dei)," he said.