Jaydon Hood was all smiles when talking about his recent commitment to Michigan.

It was a long time coming for the three-star linebacker out of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas. Michigan, after all, started to take control of his recruitment in late April.

After talking it over with his family, Hood decided now was the right time to pull the trigger. He sided with the Wolverines on Monday.

“It was definitely a tough decision between Michigan, Minnesota and Miami,” Hood said. “But Michigan just checked off all the boxes — the culture, the tradition, the education, player development as far as putting a lot of people in the league and the coaching stability. That’s why I picked Michigan.”

Relationships also played a huge role for Hood.

While he has never visited Michigan, Hood has developed a strong bond with head coach Jim Harbaugh, defensive coordinator Don Brown and new linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary, who has strong Florida ties.