In a place where he built plenty of sweat equity, Mancos High School senior Kaiden Wyatt sat in front of dozens of family, teammates, coaches and friends Wednesday to celebrate an achievement that befits years of dedication.
Seated at a table adorned with Colorado Mesa University’s maroon and gold colors at Mountain Range Fitness in Cortez, owned by his parents, Colette and Jarrod Wyatt, Kaiden signed a letter of intent to play football for the Mavericks this fall.
It was an honor years in the making, an opportunity to play for his father’s alma mater. Jarrod Wyatt, who is defensive coordinator for the Jays, spoke as a proud father about his son’s decision to play at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference university, where he was a linebacker.
Kaiden Wyatt credited those who helped has made his football dreams a reality.
“I remember going over to a practice before my freshman year, and I saw the way that coach (Alan) Mathews and coach (Josh) Gardner were running things, and I knew this place was home,” Wyatt said.
Wyatt helped the Bluejays to their first state title in 2023, and he qualified for the state semifinals four times. In those four years, Mancos posted a 41-7 record, and according to Mathews, Wyatt’s flexibility made him indispensable.
“He played wherever we needed him, guard, defensive line, tight end, then fullback and linebacker his senior season – he was always a team-first guy,” he said.
Wyatt earned all-state honors three times, including a second-team nod in his junior and senior seasons. As a senior, he anchored the defense at middle linebacker, but at CMUi in Grand Junction, he likely will be given a key offensive role.
“The CMU offensive coordinator (Trevor Wikre) sat me down and told me, “We want you to play fullback,” said Wyatt, who had visions of playing defense. “But I like to hit people, so any way I can continue to play football, I’m fine with it.”
Wyatt became a punishing back in Mancos, amassing more than 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns and blocking for fellow all-state rushers Brandon Vannest and Jonah Ritter.
“Even playing small-school eight-man football, CMU saw me – and playing college ball is something that I’ve wanted to do my whole life, and after my sophomore year, I knew I could do it,” said Wyatt.
“My family – they’ve been amazing – my grandparents went to pretty much every single game. They’re the ones who’ve helped me get where I am,” Wyatt said.
His tireless commitment to the weight room and community engagement, however, may be one of his biggest legacies, according to head coach Gardner.
“He’s been a model citizen for us,” Gardner said, “and he’s someone that the young kids can look up to, as a leader that made the underclassmen feel like they were a part of the program.”
Wyatt joins a CMU squad that is coming off a 7-4 season in the RMAC and looks to reach the Division II postseason for the first time since 2016.
Wyatt leaves a powerful imprint on the Bluejays.
“Getting to represent the community, getting to win a state title, and most importantly, getting to play with all my friends – it’s just been an amazing journey,” Wyatt said.
