Hunter Higgins is set to announce his college choice on January 15th and he narrowed his choices down to four schools. Higgins, from Maize South High School, will decide between Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, and Wisconsin.
Higgins, who is rated the second best prospect in Kansas, and the nation’s 15th best weakside defensive end, has the Jayhawks on his list and they are the closest school.
He has taken several unofficial visits to KU, and those helped to grow his relationship with the coaching staff.
“It's good every time, and it seems like we always find new stuff to talk about,” Higgins said. “That's what I love about KU, is that I feel like I'm just growing more into the relationship each time, and it's not monotonous in any way.”
Building a bond with the Kansas coaches is something Higgins said has stood out in the recruiting process. One of the first things he mentioned was getting to know head coach Lance Leipold.
“One thing that stands out the most is Coach Leipold, because he's so much more personable than a head coach can be,” Higgins said. “I think that he's more different than he is in the public eye. Very much like what you would think of a family man. He's not coming across like he's better than you or that he's on this pedestal. He's pretty humble, honestly.
“If you were just talking to him, you wouldn't know that he's one of the most successful coaches in college football right now, so it's cool to see that. My relationship with him has grown a lot over each visit.”
Higgins was complimentary of the entire coaching staff playing a part in his recruiting. From defensive ends coach Taiwo Onatolu to the people on the recruiting staff, he said they are a reason the Jayhawks are in his final four.
“From the jump, I knew I had a good relationship with Coach Onatolu,” Higgins said. “Being a little bit younger it's very easy to talk to him. He can flip the switch, though. I've noticed to be a football coach, and I think that's an important thing. He can be your friend and then he can be your coach. I would trust him with anything he told me to do.”
Higgins continued:
“He's a smart guy, too. I love asking him questions and everything like that. As far as the recruiting staff, I have really good relationships with them. They're just persistent guys and do their job well. They don’t let many days go by, between texting me and hitting me up, and making sure I know that I'm loved there, and they want me.”
Higgins talked about the four schools he will choose from:
Michigan: “I had an awesome visit there. I really like the coaching staff because again, they had that mentality of, they aren’t on this pedestal. I can talk through life and talk through football like anyone else, and the success is obviously there. They win ball games and coming off that national championship, just a lot of momentum with recruiting and really cool place to be at in Ann Arbor. I really enjoyed my time there.”
Wisconsin: “I think of them as a defensive powerhouse and just always producing guys at my position. They build a strong defense first and then look at offense. And I mean, they always do a good job. I visited for the Oregon game, and they held them to 16 points, and that’s one of the best offenses in the country. Madison is a super cool place. I really enjoyed it there. It's not like any other town, and a very cool experience.”
Nebraska: “I've been talking to them for a while and building that relationship up. I love to see what they're doing there, flipping everything around and investing a ton into facilities and they have that big recruiting class that they just came off of. A lot of people transfer in there, and so it just feels like the ball is rolling with them and a lot of momentum they have to carry into the next couple seasons. It feels like they're just investing a lot into their program.”
Kansas: “I think the biggest selling point is really just being a part of the turnaround and being in state. And it's cool seeing a couple other guys that I know as far as Jaylen (Mason) and JJ (Dunnigan) see them go ahead and make the commitment to KU. I think that's cool. Being around those guys would be cool. Being in state and being a part of that turnaround is kind of the coolest part I have to say about KU.”
As Higgins prepares to make his college choice known on the 15th, he said there are several factors that play into his decision. With the recruiting landscape changing he wants to make sure and find the right culture and a school that can help with a degree in his major.
“First of all, I'm looking for a place that loves me like I love them,” he said. “I think that's super important right now with so many things changing between roster sizes, revenue sharing and recruiting not being the same. The same reasons that people pick schools anymore isn’t like it used to be. I want a place where I fit the culture there. That's an important thing.
“For my degree, I want to look into a sports management type of business degree that can take me to possibly being in an athletic director position down the road. A school that can provide me with a good education is super important to me. As far as football, I'm going to have to compete wherever I go.”
