When JJ Kohl visited Lincoln back in June, he made quite an impression.
The class of 2023 quarterback wasn’t yet quite so squarely on the radar back then, when he put on a show at Nebraska's 7-on-7 camp this summer, but he was starting to get there. That day, he gained the attention of the Husker coaching staff literally throw by throw and game by game. By the end of the day, former NU quarterbacks coach Mario Verduzco was watching him intently.
At that time, Verduzco was focused mainly on three-star 2023 signal-caller Reese Mooney, though NU eventually offered Kohl a scholarship in late October when he visited for the Huskers' loss to Purdue.
Much has changed since then, of course. Verduzco was fired in November, Mooney is committed to Vanderbilt and the revamped offensive staff in Lincoln is trying to play catch-up on the 2023 crop of quarterbacks.
People are also reading…
Back in June, Kohl had just picked up offers from Iowa and Iowa State. Later that month, Florida State came calling. Since then, so have Missouri, Minnesota and Boston College.
Kohl is set to return to Nebraska this weekend for the Huskers’ junior day and he’s looking forward to learning more about NU’s revamped offensive staff.
“I’m going to ask a lot of questions, what the offense is going to be like and stuff like that, and my parents are coming, too, so they’ll be able to ask questions as well,†Kohl told the Journal Star.
This weekend, then, is a chance for Kohl to really get to know Whipple and vice versa.
“Actually, last summer I went to a camp down in Georgia and Coach Whipple was down there, so that’s when I first met him, when he was still at Pitt,†Kohl said. “Then a couple of weeks ago he stopped by my school and we had a good conversation.â€
Kohl watched some of the Panthers’ explosive 2021 season and knows about the play of Heisman Trophy finalist Kenny Pickett and Whipple’s aggressive style. Now he’s interested in learning more about how Nebraska might fit into his recruitment.
“I want to surround myself with like-minded people who really want me there. I want to go somewhere where I have a good relationship with the offensive coordinator, quarterback coach and head coach,†Kohl said. “I want to go somewhere that fits my abilities and I want to go somewhere where I could see myself being successful. And I want to go somewhere where I could see myself playing somewhat early.â€
In addition to Kohl, here’s a look at a few of the other key players who are slated to be in attendance, in alphabetical order:
Class of 2023
Running back Dontavius Braswell (Sandersville, Georgia): Braswell (5-foot-11, 190 pounds) picked up an offer from Nebraska in November and also has reported offers from Florida State and Georgia Tech. The Huskers, of course, are no strangers to recruiting running backs out of the Peach State.
Offensive lineman DJ Chester (Conyers, Georgia): Chester (6-5, 295) doesn’t yet hold an offer from Nebraska — at least not that he’s posted on social media — but he’s already picked up offers from LSU, Mississippi State, Mississippi, UCF and several other schools. Tight ends coach Sean Beckton knows the area well and NU has recruited Chester’s high school, Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy, for years.
Linebacker Kevon Freeman (Lake Charles, Louisiana): Freeman was in the first wave of scholarship offers extended by new receivers coach Mickey Joseph in his home state of Louisiana. Freeman (6-1, 230) plays at Lake Charles College Prep.
Running back Quinten Joyner (Manor, Texas): Joyner does not yet have a Nebraska offer, but he could well earn one this weekend. The 5-10, 190-pounder is considered the No. 189 player in the country according to 247Sports and is also a four-star according to Rivals. In the last two weeks alone, he’s added offers from Penn State, Indiana, Mississippi State, Cincinnati, SMU and Houston.
Offensive lineman Joe Otting (Topeka, Kansas): The 6-4, 270-pound lineman was on campus for a gameday visit to Lincoln in late October and picked up an offer from the Huskers then. He’s also got extensive regional interest, including offers from Iowa State, Missouri, Kansas State and Kansas. This will be an opportunity for Otting and new offensive line coach Donovan Raiola to get to know each other in person.
Athlete Jamison Patton (Des Moines, Iowa): The 6-2, 190-pounder from Roosevelt High is one of the most versatile athletes in the area for the 2023 cycle and is a player several schools will be after. In 2021, the high school quarterback threw for 1,278 yards and 14 touchdowns, and also rushed for 548 and seven more scores. Patton could end up at any number of positions in college, including the defensive backfield.
Nebraska Saturday
— jamo✌🽠(@jamisonpattonn)
Other 2023 prospects who are expected to be on campus but don’t yet hold NU offers include in-state prospects Kade McIntyre (Archbishop Bergan) and Brock Murtaugh (Millard South); Winterset, Iowa, offensive lineman Beau Knobloch; Prior Lake, Minnesota, edge rusher Martin Owusu; and Alabama defensive lineman JaQuize Buycks.
Last week, Nebraska offered several players scholarships coming out of the junior day, and in addition to the above names, Buycks and Owusu may be the next best bets to earn an offer this weekend. Each has seen their recruitment start to kick into gear this month, with Buycks picking up an offer from Arizona State last week.
Beyond the 2023 class, the highlight of the weekend is a talented group of in-state athletes that includes 2024 Omaha Westside defensive back Caleb Benning, 2024 Bellevue West wide receiver Dae’vonn Hall and 2025 Omaha Burke linebacker Christian Jones.
Both Nebraska wide receivers coach Mickey Joseph and inside linebackers coach Barrett Ruud have made multiple trips through the Omaha metro area over the past three weeks as the Huskers staff redoubles its efforts to keep other schools from poaching talent from within the state line. Benning and Hall each picked up offers from Minnesota this week and Jones also already has a host of Power Five offers to his name, as well.
Along with that group will be 2024 standout Mario Buford (DeSoto, Texas), the younger brother of talented young Nebraska cornerback Marques Buford Jr.
The younger Buford (5-11, 170) already holds offers from NU, Arkansas, Washington, Louisville, Mississippi State, Oregon, UCF, Illinois and others, and was at a junior day event at Texas A&M last week.Â
The Huskers are also expecting to have a group of young players from Kansas City, Missouri, area powerhouse Lee’s Summit North in town, including 2024 edge rusher Williams Nwaneri and 2025 wide receiver Isaiah Mozee, both of whom have already seen their recruitments turn national.
Blessed to receive a offer from the University of Oregon
— Isaiah Mozee (@IsaiahMozee2)