South River High School student athlete is a star in the classroom and on the field
Photographs courtesy McDuffie family
South River High School has churned out many notable athletes over the past two decades, and then there’s senior Jaden McDuffie. The 6-foot-3, 175-pound McDuffie dominates both basketball and football with eye-catching statistics.
And, he ended up with 24 college football scholarship offers.
“I have never had so many colleges come through the school in a month to recruit a player,” explains South River’s Steve Erxleben, who has coached football at the school for 24 years. “And I never coached a Division I kid.”
That all changed when McDuffie verbally committed to playing football at Northwestern University in Illinois in June. He’ll sign a National Letter of Intent in December.
He also had offers from respectable programs such as the University of Buffalo, Temple, and Toledo. The Naval Academy and West Point also wanted him to play football at their school.
McDuffie carries a 3.87 grade-point average and will have taken seven advancement classes by the time he graduates from high school. He wants to major in business at Northwestern.
“The main thing for me is to play at the highest level possible,” McDuffie says. “Northwestern plays in the Big Ten and that is arguably the best conference in the country.”
McDuffie didn’t think he had much of a future in football beyond South River. He decided to concentrate on basketball and gave up football after the 2023 season to spend time working out, shooting, and dribbling every day while playing for a high-level AAU basketball team.
“I got some interest from colleges,” McDuffie says of his sophomore year. “I went all in on basketball. The whole offseason, I didn’t touch a football. After the basketball season ended, I was ranked among the top 25 players in the state and third at my position (guard).”
Eventually, McDuffie changed his mind about football. He rejoined the Seahawks’ program early in September 2024, saying he really missed playing with his teammates. He made up for lost time—and what a season he put together. He ranked among the state leaders in receptions (72), yards (1251), and touchdowns (18), and set seven school single-season records. What a difference a year makes. He caught just 21 receptions for 211 yards and two touchdowns the season before, in 2023.
“He is such an athlete,” Erxleben says. “Either you are tall or short and quick in football. He is tall and very quick. Speed is at the top of the list in college football. Length is also important.
“He was a possession receiver as a sophomore,” the coach added. “As a junior, he was catching the ball deep, medium, and short. It made him a complete receiver.”
Photographs courtesy McDuffie family
“Jayden has some goals of setting some state records in receiving,” Erxleben says. “I think he has a great shot to do that. He can be a 100-catch guy this season. And I like his future. He could be 6-foot-4, or 6-foot-5 in college and weigh 200 pounds.”
On offense, McDuffie had some memorable games last season. He recorded 12 receptions for 175 yards and three touchdowns in a 13-point win over Severna Park in early September, then toward the end of the season, he hauled in 10 receptions for 175 yards in a first-round playoff rout of Chopticon, of St. Mary’s County. He also returned two punts for touchdowns, including the 62-yard game-winning score in a 49-42 win over Crofton.
The 17-year-old also had an impact on defense, starting the last two years at cornerback. McDuffie caught three passes for interceptions, forced two fumbles, and earned Second-Team All-County honors.
On the basketball court, it seems hard to find a weakness in the combo guard’s game. He helped the Seahawks to their best record in school history—23-4.
McDuffie improved his stats greatly in the ’24–25 season from his sophomore year. He averaged 18 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and 3.4 steals per game.
“With his athleticism, he is able to make a huge impact on offense and defense,” South River Boys Basketball Coach Daren Hall says. “He can shoot it from anywhere on the court. He scores at every level: at the rim, mid-range, and three-point range. His ability to pass the ball is undervalued. He really puts his teammates in a position to be successful.”
