Jaden Payoute will medically retire
One of Virginia Tech's best overall athletes as a recruit, wide receiver Jaden Payoute will unfortunately never realize that potential.
He will take a medical retirement from the game of football after multiple leg injuries prevented him from making an impact in Orange and Maroon.
Not a HokieHaven.com subscriber? Join today for access to all our premium content and message board community.
Payoute was a high school quarterback/safety whose upside at wide receiver saw him participate in the 2019 Army All-American Game and International Bowl, and earn a ranking as a Rivals250 prospect. The No. 237 overall prospect and No. 6 player in the Commonwealth, he was the No. 38 wideout nationally in his class.
Payoute redshirted as a freshman as he made the transition to a new position, then a broken foot sidelined him for the 2020 season, and he suffered through a range of minor injuries in his third year on campus. With the decreasing likelihood that he'd ever have the type of career he'd expected, the product of Chesterfield (Va.) Bird opted to hang up his cleats rather than try to fight back onto the field.
He finishes his VT career with just a single reception, a 42-yarder in this year's bowl game against Maryland. That play serves as a symbol of just how much potential he had - and how it typically dangled just out of reach for Payoute and the Hokies to take advantage of.
With his retirement, the Hokies' depth by class looks like this.
| Fr. | So. | Jr. | Sr. |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw* |
Jaylen Jones* |
Luke Bussel, W |
Jadan Blue |
|
Miles Ellis, W |
Will Kakavitsas, W |
Conner Dusenbury, W |
Tink Boyd, W |
|
Tucker Holloway* |
Keli Lawson* |
Stephen Gosnell* |
Kaleb Smith, W |
|
Christian Moss |
DaWain Lofton* |
|
|
|
PJ Prioleau, W |
Eddie Ozycz, W |
|
|
|
Areeb Rashid, W |
Dallan Wright |
|
|
|
Logan Richardson, W |
|
|
|
|
DJ Sims |
Incoming transfers Jadan Blue and Stephen Gosnell are the only upperclassmen on the roster, though Kaleb Smith joined as a walk-on and has been placed on scholarship in past years when there is room against the NCAA's cap. Blue is the only scholarship senior.
There are still 89 scholarships accounted for going into the Fall - four over the NCAA max of 85. Head coach Brent Pry has mentioned on multiple occasions that he expects plenty of attrition after spring practices (as is typical in a normal year, and particularly so during a coaching transition).
Payoute has not announced any intentions for his post-football endeavors. He is a Human Development major.
Chat about this story and all things Hokies and Hokie recruiting on our premium message board, The Gobbler!