On Wednesday, 4-star defensive back Jaeden Gould signed his letter of intent to become a Husker. He is my No. 1 early Signing Day Greg’s Guy.
Jaeden Gould, Welcome to the good life
Follow: @JaedenGould5 #GBRXXII pic.twitter.com/bDZ3wASqjC
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFBNation) December 15, 2021
Gould (6-2, 200) was one of the most recent additions to the Huskers’ 2022 recruiting class. He announced his decision to commit to Nebraska the day before the early signing period. The Huskers are getting a physical and versatile defensive back in Gould. He was a longtime USC commit until the coaching change in Los Angeles caused him to look around for new options.
The Huskers have a recent history of pulling players from Bergen Catholic in New Jersey. Rahmir Johnson was the starting running back for most of the 2021 season. He also attended that school. Former Bergen Catholic quarterback and grad assistant coach Jon Germano is on Nebraska’s staff. Coach Vito Campanile shared what he believes makes Gould a coveted prospect.
“I think first off, his skill set,” Campanile said. “His length is incredible. He’s a 6-foot plus kid and he’s over 200 pounds. I know he’s listed at 195 but he is a little bit bigger than that. I kind of feel like at the next level he’s really a hybrid guy that could cover like a corner, play safety and then he could definitely play like the nickel Sam position, too. That’s kind of prevalent with all the spread offenses. I think that’s why he’s such a high demand kid.”
Gould is a style of defensive back that should flourish in the Big Ten. He checks all the boxes that defensive backs coach Travis Fisher likes. Fisher explained what he would be looking for this offseason ahead of the Iowa game last month.
“The want and desire to be coached,” Fisher said. “The desire to be great. The want to get your degree. Everything else comes behind that. Once the secondary stuff is behind you then usually the main thing becomes the main thing. You just start growing with the game and the sport. Whether it’s guys out of the portal, whether it’s guys from junior colleges or if it’s high school kids that are coming in here that are just already kind of polished. It’s the same thing, the same philosophy, in my opinion.”
Gould could be in the mix right away for playing time at Nebraska. He’s got as much potential as any high school player that the Huskers are signing this cycle. He’s set to join the team in January.
Greg is the Recruiting Analyst for Hail Varsity and has covered Husker athletics since 2013. He has always had a passion for sports while growing up in the Chicago area. As he got older and had to hang up his cleats and sneakers, he realized his passion for sports went beyond just watching and attending games. He has covered many events from the Rose Bowl to championship boxing matches. If he’s not talking sports, he’s hovering over his grill. He is married to an amazing woman, Kim, and they have a dog that barks when Greg yells at the TV during games.
