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JUCO 4-Star Edge Receives Nebraska Offer

Four-star recruit Jalen Anderson from Pearl River Community College received his latest Power Four offer from Nebraska on Tuesday.
Julio Gonzales, Jr.|
A black Nebraska Cornhuskers flag waves outside Memorial Stadium.
A black Nebraska Cornhuskers flag waves outside Memorial Stadium. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

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Athletes often choose the junior college route when they feel overlooked or receive minimal attention during the recruiting process. This was the situation for Jalen Anderson, an edge rusher from Pearl River Community College in Mississippi, who graduated from Slidell High School in Louisiana in 2024.

Jalen Anderson recruiting profile
Jalen Anderson recruiting profile | On3/Rivals

Now, Anderson is recognized as a four-star prospect and has received more than 35 offers, attracting interest from several prominent programs. One of these programs is Nebraska, which extended an offer to him Tuesday. I caught up with him to discuss the offer from the Cornhuskers and his recruitment process.

Recapping his season at Pearl River

The Wildcats had a challenging 2025 season, finishing with a record of 1-8 overall and 0-6 in the MACCC South. However, Anderson felt proud of how he and his teammates fought throughout the season. "Yeah, it definitely wasn't the year we hoped for record-wise, but I wouldn't trade my guys for anything. I love that team, man. I tried to be a leader and push everybody, no matter how tough it got. I take a lot of pride in being that dude who keeps things together when it's easy to fall apart. Through it all, God taught me a lot about patience, leadership, and staying faithful even when the results don't show right away, " Anderson said.

Offers and recruitment

Anderson is rated as a four-star recruit by ESPN and a three-star by both 247Sports and On3/Rivals, and has over 35 offers. His recruitment has picked up recently, especially from the Power Four conferences, as he has added offers from Vanderbilt, Colorado, West Virginia, Arizona State, Florida State, Arkansas, Illinois and Nebraska.

"My recruitment has been a blessing — all glory to God for real. I wasn't really recruited in high school, so to be sitting here with 37 offers is something I don't take lightly. It's unbelievable how far he's brought me. My phone's been busy with a lot of schools from every Power 4 conference and top Group of Five programs. But I'm starting to narrow things down now, and steering clear of some programs, even big-name ones, because time's winding down and I have to make a smart decision, not just a flashy one."

Anderson also has offers from Old Dominion, Troy, UNLV, Louisiana-Monroe, Toledo, Kennesaw State, McNeese State, Florida International, Western Kentucky, Jackson State, Florida Atlantic, Western Michigan, Georgia State, Texas State, UTSA, Tulsa, Sacramento State, Appalachian State, South Alabama, Middle Tennessee, Arkansas State, Temple, Jacksonville State, North Texas, Liberty, Colorado State, and New Mexico State.

Receiving his offer from Nebraska

Anderson received his latest Power Four offer from the Cornhuskers on Tuesday after speaking with recruiting coordinator Taylor Richards and director of player personnel Keith Williams. "I had talked to Coach T-Rich a couple of times before, and also to Coach Williams. Both of them have been straight up with me. They told me they love my tape, how I fit what they're building, and the energy I bring to the field. So, I respect that."

Anderson likes what he has observed from the Cornhuskers this season and the foundation they are trying to build in Lincoln. "They're doing things the right way over there and stacking some big wins to prove it. I like what they're building over there, for sure. You can tell they're trying to flip the culture and get back to that tough, winning identity. I've been watching some of their games, and they've had some big wins lately, so you can see it's trending the right way."

Other schools in the mix

With his season complete, Anderson is prepared to resume his official visits. He took one to Florida International in June and initially committed to the Panthers, but decommitted in October. This weekend, he will visit Florida State and has several more visits scheduled. "I'll be at Florida State this weekend for their game against Virginia Tech, then I'm visiting Illinois at the end of the month for their game against Northwestern. I'm also in the process of setting up visits to Arizona State, Arkansas, and Nebraska. For any school I'm visiting, I have a major interest in them!"

What he is looking for in a program

As Anderson prepares to conclude his recruitment, he understands what is important to him and what he will prioritize in the school he decides to commit to. "The first thing is my relationship with the coach in my room because that's who I'll spend the most time with, so that bond matters. Second is the strength and conditioning program. That can make or break your career, and it determines how your body develops, how you stay healthy, and how long you last in this game. And third is the atmosphere. Coming from JUCO, sometimes you play in front of 100 people. When you're a kid, you dream about those sold-out stadiums, the rivalries, the energy. That's what keeps the fire burning, playing somewhere that makes all that work worth it. I want to be somewhere that feels like home and where God's leading me to be."

Anderson went from being minimally recruited in high school to a four-star prospect with numerous options. Wherever he chooses to play, that school will gain a valuable player.

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Julio Gonzales, Jr.
JULIO GONZALES, JR.

Julio Gonzales Jr. is from Lubbock, Texas, and graduated from Lubbock Christian University. He is a writer for Nebraska On SI. He has previously written for Mike Farrell Sports and Rivals. There, he covered recruiting for JUCO Football, UTSA, Texas Tech, and SMU. He continues to cover recruiting on his Sports Madness page on Substack. You can reach him at:jrgonzales213@gmail.com.

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