Savannah Reams:
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Former Madison County Cowboy Travis Jay is ready to cleat up and don the garnet and gold. A top prospect in Florida State University's (FSU) signing class, the Greenville native and two-time State Champion was ranked the number 14 cornerback in the country by ESPN and 17th at the position by 247Sports. He played in the 2019 Under Armour All-America Game and finished his high school career with 38 wins and two losses. As a senior, he posted 44 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, four interceptions and 15 pass deflections in the defensive backfield. While playing quarterback his senior season, he was a 1,300-yard passer and 1,000-yard rusher with 33 total touchdowns. Jay signed with FSU after receiving offers from Clemson, Alabama, Georgia and Auburn, among others.
As he gears up for his first season with the Seminoles, he currently sits at defensive back and punt returner. Time will tell how he plays for the 'Noles, but his stats certainly show promise. "Simply put, I think Jay is too talented to keep off the field," said Brendan Sonnone, of 247Sports. "I love how he anticipates plays and how he's willing to be physical regardless of what position he's playing at the time … and I think those skills help him make a smooth/quick transition to the college level."
As far as Jay is concerned, he is pumped and ready to go. "I'm excited to get back to winning at Florida State," said Jay. "I'm ready to help Florida State get back to where they need to be."
Jay isn't the only one with expectations of assisting with program improvement. "He's talented enough to make an early impact, and there's the potential that his competitive nature and winning pedigree will contribute to a turn around this season," adds Sonnone.
It's evident that Jay's determination and dedication will see him through. According to his mom, Valerie Adam, of Greenville, he's worked hard since boyhood. "Ever since he turned one … he was always so easy going and well-behaved," said Adam. "I never had to come out to the school much—I never received calls about bad behavior. Nobody's perfect, but I just never had any of those problems with Travis. He's worked hard and he's kept his head in the books."
Above all, his family is extremely proud of him. "I am so excited," said Adam. "I'm proud of him. It's all so shocking. He is so humble, too."
Adam plans to attend Jay's first game against Boise State on Saturday, Aug. 31, at Doak Campbell Stadium, in Tallahassee. His siblings will accompany her to his second home game at Doak Campbell Stadium against ULM (Louisiana-Monroe). "They love him and are so proud of him," said Adam.
It is evident we will be seeing a lot of Jay in the future. The Madison County Cowboy and Greenville native has certainly made his community proud. He continues to work hard on and off the field and is currently majoring in Business at FSU.
"Just be on the look out for Travis Jay," he says. "I'm coming."