Loving Finding Home in Middle of Wake Forest Defense
9/8/2025 6:03:00 AM | Football
"He's been a great addition to our team. He loves being out there. He's brought leadership and passion to that defensive line." - Jake Dickert on Jayden Loving
With a college career that has gone from Bethune-Cookman to Western Kentucky, where he suffered an injury that cost him the back half of last season, then all the way to Wake Forest and the ACC, Jayden Loving has had his share of waiting his turn.
While rehabbing from his most recent injury, however, the Demon Deacon defensive lineman decided that his time is now, impressing in the weight room and dedicating himself to better preventative care of his body moving forward.
"So last year I had those injuries to my knee of course, it wasn't too bad, but it was lingering," Loving said late in Fall Camp. "That's one thing you don't want to keep around. So to be able to come here with the strength staff and the nutrition team, everyone helping get my body right, I'm bigger, faster and stronger. It's made me really happy that I'm staying healthy for this long.
"I've never felt this healthy for this long in my career, so just happy they're helping me everyday whether that's rolling me out, stretching me out, and helping me eat right. I really do appreciate that."
After finishing the 2023 campaign with 36 tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks, Loving was placed on the 2024 Preseason Conference USA All-Conference Second Team by Phil Steele, but his season came to an end after just five contests with the Hilltoppers. He believes with the extra conditioning and work in the weight room, he'll be able to avoid a similar fate with the Demon Deacons this season.
"I never really stretched as much or got as warmed up and come prepared as I have going into this upcoming spring," he said. "I never took it that seriously. In my mind, I went if I'm going to get better, I'm going to have to do things pros do. So I came out here and said these are the goals I want to reach, can y'all help me reach that?
"I'm going to put my mind to it and do whatever I'm asked to get there. It's been really helping my body out there, preparing for it."
Making an impact in his first contest as a Demon Deacon, Loving led the team with two tackles for loss in the victory over Kennesaw State. He's a vital piece in a revamped defensive line under first-year Wake Forest head coach Jake Dickert.
"It feels great to be counted on that much, because we know what we gotta do," Loving said. "We take pride in having the hardest warmup in the country. So the rest of practice is easy for us, because of what Coach K (defensive tackles coach Pete Kaligis) puts us through the first five periods of practice, I've never been through that."
Loving likes to tout his speed, telling the staff that he ran an 11.3 in the 100 meters at Hamilton High School (Hamilton, Alabama).
"I told him that was 80 pounds ago, so don't forget that," Dickert said with a laugh. "But I just really appreciate his heart and his passion. The guy loves being out there, and he's been a great addition to our team. He loves being out there. He's brought leadership and passion to that defensive line, and I'm really proud of him. He's ready for a big senior year. He's worked his tail off. He's explosive — he's the fastest player on the defensive front, no question.
"We did a good job in the spring of managing him, making sure he was right before putting him back out there. Jayden's one of those energy guys — you hear him before you see him. It's amazing."
While rehabbing from his most recent injury, however, the Demon Deacon defensive lineman decided that his time is now, impressing in the weight room and dedicating himself to better preventative care of his body moving forward.
"So last year I had those injuries to my knee of course, it wasn't too bad, but it was lingering," Loving said late in Fall Camp. "That's one thing you don't want to keep around. So to be able to come here with the strength staff and the nutrition team, everyone helping get my body right, I'm bigger, faster and stronger. It's made me really happy that I'm staying healthy for this long.
"I've never felt this healthy for this long in my career, so just happy they're helping me everyday whether that's rolling me out, stretching me out, and helping me eat right. I really do appreciate that."
After finishing the 2023 campaign with 36 tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks, Loving was placed on the 2024 Preseason Conference USA All-Conference Second Team by Phil Steele, but his season came to an end after just five contests with the Hilltoppers. He believes with the extra conditioning and work in the weight room, he'll be able to avoid a similar fate with the Demon Deacons this season.
"I never really stretched as much or got as warmed up and come prepared as I have going into this upcoming spring," he said. "I never took it that seriously. In my mind, I went if I'm going to get better, I'm going to have to do things pros do. So I came out here and said these are the goals I want to reach, can y'all help me reach that?
"I'm going to put my mind to it and do whatever I'm asked to get there. It's been really helping my body out there, preparing for it."
Making an impact in his first contest as a Demon Deacon, Loving led the team with two tackles for loss in the victory over Kennesaw State. He's a vital piece in a revamped defensive line under first-year Wake Forest head coach Jake Dickert.
"It feels great to be counted on that much, because we know what we gotta do," Loving said. "We take pride in having the hardest warmup in the country. So the rest of practice is easy for us, because of what Coach K (defensive tackles coach Pete Kaligis) puts us through the first five periods of practice, I've never been through that."
Loving likes to tout his speed, telling the staff that he ran an 11.3 in the 100 meters at Hamilton High School (Hamilton, Alabama).
"I told him that was 80 pounds ago, so don't forget that," Dickert said with a laugh. "But I just really appreciate his heart and his passion. The guy loves being out there, and he's been a great addition to our team. He loves being out there. He's brought leadership and passion to that defensive line, and I'm really proud of him. He's ready for a big senior year. He's worked his tail off. He's explosive — he's the fastest player on the defensive front, no question.
"We did a good job in the spring of managing him, making sure he was right before putting him back out there. Jayden's one of those energy guys — you hear him before you see him. It's amazing."
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