Nation's No. 2 QB Heavily Linked to Three Major College Football Programs

The second-rnked QB in the 2027 recruiting cycle has seen a meteoric rise in his stock and is involved with three fairly surprising teams. With most top prep QBs locking down interest from top schools like Alabama and Ohio State, it's a trio of unlikely suitors for the nation's No. 2 QB prospect, in part due to his sudden ranking rise.

The rising QB star

Before Rivals' most recent update, Illinois QB prospect Jake Nawrot was the No. 264 player in the nation-- a solid, but not other-worldly recruit. But Rivals bumped Nawrot to No. 32 in the class-- which makes him the No. 2 QB prospect behind Arizona prospect Will Mencl.

Nawrot was a topic of conversation on a recent Rivals video and Steve Wiltfong shared some insights into the fast-rising QB standout. Nawrot is just off an unofficial visit to Kentucky and was impressed by the Wildcats.

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Nawrot's Leaders

Wiltfong stated that the Wildcats "made a huge statement in the recruitment for [Nawrot]." The prep star reported being impressed by the facilities and the offensive approach being cooked up by new head coach Will Stein and offensive coordinator Joe Sloan. Despite back-to-back losing seasons, the Wildcats are looking to make a step forward with the hiring of Stein, who has made a 2027 QB a top priority.

Kentucky signed dual-sport star Matt Ponatoski in its 2026 recruiting class, but the QB/pitcher is expected to command a very high spot in the upcoming MLB Draft. Accordingly, Kentucky has been involved with a bevy of top prospects in the 2027 cycle, with Notre Dame transfer Kenny Minchey the apparent starter in this coming season.

Nawrot has also been linked, per Wiltfong, to Kansas State and Iowa, among other schools. The Hawkeyes in particular have been an early favorite per Rivals' expert predictions, with over 93% of the picks logged for Iowa.

Recruiting overview of Newrot's Top Schools

The Hawkeyes could certainly benefit from an upgraded passing attack, as Iowa finished next to last or last in the Big Ten in passing yardage in each of the last four seasons. The Hawkeyes are currently ranked 24th in Rivals' 2027 team recruiting rankings, with three commitments already logged. No QBs have currently committed.

Kentucky and Kansas State are 38th and 40th respectively in the 2027 team rankings. Each program has added three 2027 commitments, with neither team having a QB commit yet. All three of Kentucky's early commitments are in-state recruits.

Other Possibilities for Nawrot

Other teams are coming to the party-- Oregon extended an offer recently to Nawrot and he is reportedly planning a visit to the school. Louisville has also offered Nawrot. Given his rise in prestige, Nawrot is likely to hear from other top schools.