High school career
Mbakwe attended Clay-Chalkville High School in Pinson, Alabama where he played football and ran track. [2] He entered his junior year with more than 60 scholarship offers. [3] That year he played as both a wide receiver and cornerback. [3] For his senior season, he moved to quarterback and led his team to an Alabama 6A title. [4] He rushed 148 times and recorded over 1,000 yards on the ground while accumulating 23 touchdowns. [4] He also passed for 2,007 yards and 20 touchdowns, and was named MVP of the state championship game after throwing and rushing for 282 yards and four touchdowns. [5] Over the course of his high school career, he lined up as a receiver, running back, defensive back, kick/punt returner, and quarterback. [6] [7] Following his senior season, Mbakwe earned a spot to play in the Under Armour All-America Game and also played in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game. [7]
A five-star recruit, Mbakwe committed to play college football at the University of Alabama over offers from Georgia, USC, LSU, and Notre Dame. [8]
Despite Nick Saban's retirement upon the conclusion of the 2023 season, Mbakwe remained firm in his commitment to Alabama. [9]
| College recruiting information (2024) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Hometown | School | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
| Jaylen Mbakwe CB | Clay, Alabama | Clay-Chalkville | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | Jul 26, 2022 | |
Recruit ratings: Rivals:  247Sports: ESPN: (92) | ||||||