GTK: CB Jaeden Gould was the New Jersey Max Preps POY

New Jersey four-star defensive back Jaeden Gould was originally verbally pledged to the Southern Cal Trojans because of his relationship with former Nebraska secondary coach Donte Williams. But when USC replaced Clay Helton as head coach, he had a change of heart and decided to open his recruitment back up.

Gould could practically have chosen any college in the country he wanted to attend. He had accumulated nearly 40 scholarship offers from coast to coast.

Husker head coach Scott Frost gave his signing day comments about Gould:

“Another late addition from New Jersey was Jaeden Gould. Coach (Mike) Dawson did a great job with him and Coach (Erik Chinander) and Coach (Travis Fisher) did a great job with him. He’s somebody we recruited really hard early on in the process, and he was committed to another school. There was a lot of change obviously, in college football this year and a lot of kids committed to places that all of a sudden at the end of the season, found out they were committed somewhere without a coach or a different coach. I think that changed a lot of perspectives and got a lot of kids back on the market. We were just elated that Jaeden got back in touch with us. I flew out to Jersey to see him and his family. I feel like he’s a big-time player that can come in and hopefully help us early, and we just feel great about getting back in on him.”

Below is another in our series of “Getting to know you” features which we will be running on the members of Nebraska’s 2022 recruiting class. We will be doing the GTKs of all the early enrollees first, and then completing the rest of the class.

Jaeden Gould

Position: Cornerback

Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic

Current size: 6-foot-2, 190-pounds

Rankings: Gould was named the Max Preps player of the Year in the state of New Jersey after the 2021 season. And he is rated a 5.8 four-star by Rivals, as well as the No. 31 cornerback prospect in the country and the No. 3 recruit in the state of New Jersey for this last cycle.

Statistics: As a senior, he had four interceptions, and two pass breakups, and 27 total tackles. Teams tended to shy away from throwing to his side of the field. He helped to lead Bergen Catholic to a 28-7 victory over Don Bosco Prep in the final game of the Non-Public A, NJSIAA Football Championships at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. It was the Crusaders’ 15th state title as they finished with an undefeated 12-0 record and a No. 4 national ranking, according to Max Preps.

Other schools offering scholarships: Michigan, Penn State, Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, USC, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Texas, Texas A&M, Florida, Florida State, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Pittsburgh, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, Arizona State, Rutgers, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Boston College, Duke, Georgia Tech, Houston, Kansas, Syracuse, Temple and Old Dominion and UMass.

What do you do in your spare time?

“Play video games and I watch TV. I watch a lot of football videos and documentaries, things like that. I watch a lot of film on different players in the NFL. Video game-wise, I play 2K Madden.”

What food do you like the best?

“It would have to be chicken of any kind. Like, on a grill or anything.”

What is your favorite television show?

“I would say Criminal Minds.”

Do you have a favorite movie?

“I like 21 Jump Street, the remake. It was funny. I don’t watch a lot of movies, but I liked the comedy aspect of it.”

What type of music do you listen to and who is your favorite musical artist?

“I listen to a lot of hip hop and rap. I would say my favorite artist is Lil Baby.”

Who is your celebrity crush?

“Zendaya. I like her outlook on life and her personality. Also how she looks, obviously.”

Who has provided great inspiration to you in your life?

“I would say both of my parents. They are just hard-working. They take care of me and my sister every day and they have overcome a lot of things. They taught me and molded me and gave me my outlook on life. So, I feel like they play a big part in how I do things and how hard I work on a day-to-day basis.”

What person(s) from history or alive today would you most like to sit down and have dinner with?

“Kobe Bryant just because of his mentality. I feel like I could learn so much from him about his thought process. I feel like I could learn a lot just having a great conversation with him.”

Do you have a nickname?

“Nah I don’t, actually.”

What is something very few people know about you?

“People don’t know that I like to listen to different kinds of music, like country or pop. It doesn’t really matter. I like old-school music. People think I could be listening to hip hop, but it could be entirely something else.”

If football wasn’t an option, what would your dream career be?

“I would say my dream career would be doing something on YouTube or with video games. Something like that.”

Do you have a major picked out yet?

“I don’t, but it will be something in the business aspect. I don’t know what specifically yet.”

Have you met all the academic requirements to enroll at Nebraska?

Gould arrived on campus on Jan. 8.

Who is your favorite football player of all-time?

“I would have to say Minkah Fitzpatrick because I know him and his family. I traveled from New Jersey to Florida to stay at his house and work out with him for a couple days. So, I have a good relationship with him. He’s a great player and he plays for my favorite team, so you can’t get better than that. I try to model my game and mentality around his. He’s a hard worker and he’s overcome a lot in life.”

Who is the best football player you’ve personally played against in a game?

“Jalen Berger who goes to [Wisconsin], so I will get to face him again. He’s probably the best player I played against. I mean, he’s a really talented back. He can do it all. He can catch out of the backfield, he runs hard, he’s elusive. He’s a really good player and he was at our biggest rival, so we really had to game plan for him.”

What has been the most memorable moment on the football field so far in your career?

“I would say the whole of last season, especially winning the state championship and finishing No. 3 in the country. That’s something not a lot of people can say that they did. And to accomplish it in my senior year really meant a lot.”

Which school are you most looking forward to playing against in college?

“I would have to say Rutgers and Ohio State. Rutgers just because that’s my home state, so I’m really excited to go back there this year. I will get to play in front of my family and friends and things like that. And also Ohio State just because I really don’t like them. I don’t like anything about them. I don’t have any bad blood with Rutgers, but with Ohio State I do.”

Do you have a pre-game ritual?

“Nah, I really don’t. Nothing crazy.”

Did you play other sports growing up or in high school?

“Growing up I played basketball and ran track. That was the main two.”

What is the one thing you most need to work on to play at the next level?

“I would definitely say just getting faster. The speed from high school to college is two completely different things. So, just adjusting to that when facing college offenses. It will come with time, so I’m not too worried about that.”

How often do you work out and what is your routine?

“I like to work out at least four or five times a week. I like to schedule workouts for at least four times a week, and it’s usually five. I also do some fieldwork on weekends, and sometimes I will do two workouts in a day.”

What did you know about the Nebraska football program before they offered and started recruiting you?

“I really didn’t know much, but when they offered me my best friend was already there. Before Rahmir (Johnson) went there, I didn’t have too much knowledge about them.”

Do you have any family ties to the Husker football program or the state of Nebraska?

“Nah, just Rahmir.”

How did you inform the Nebraska staff of your commitment?

“I informed all of them, but I told Coach Frost first. He was the first one that I called just to let him know [that I committed], then I let everybody else know. It was probably like two days before I posted it [on Twitter].”

What were the major determining factors in your picking Nebraska and signing with the Huskers?

“Honestly, I just wanted to go somewhere where I felt I could make a difference. I felt it was the perfect opportunity for me and something that I always wanted to do. I want to have the opportunity to turn this program around and be remembered. It’s something that I’m really looking forward to. As well as the relationships that I had with their coaching staff throughout the years. That’s really something I felt comfortable with. I visited them my sophomore year and prior to my official visit there, so it was nice to see those familiar faces when I was there. And also, just the opportunity to play early and make an impact. That was an intriguing factor for me to go there.”

Did the Nebraska coaches do anything unique when they were recruiting you that other colleges didn’t?

“Nothing really different. It was just the vibe I got from the coaches. They didn’t do anything out of the ordinary, but I just felt comfortable with them. My family also felt comfortable with them, so I thought it would be a good fit for me.”

Which Nebraska coach do you feel especially close to?

“I would probably say Coach Fisher. I mean, we had great talks and great meetings when I was there, and he’s the one I will be spending the most time with while I am there, in addition to the strength coach. So, it’s good we have such a great relationship.”

What was the best feature of your official visit to Nebraska?

“Definitely just walking out on the field. I mean, that stadium is one of the best, not just in the Big Ten but in the country. So, just walking out there and imagining what it will be like at full capacity gets you really excited.”

Did Nebraska’s weather factor into your recruitment?

“Nah, not really. Weather didn’t really factor in my decision.”

Did you make friends with any current players at Nebraska or incoming freshmen during the process?

“Yeah, I know Mikai (Gbayor) as well from high school, and some of the other commits. We had a group chat where we’ve been talking and things like that.”

What did you think of Nebraska’s season?

“I could say I pretty much watched every game. I feel like it was a tough season, but there’s room for improvement. It’s not like they were getting blown out, so it also factored into my decision that they are right there and on the verge of doing something excellent. I feel like this recruiting class could help fix that and turn the program around. They are only a couple points and a couple plays away, so I’m just really excited to go in and do what I can do to help change the program.”

What’s the funniest or craziest thing that happened to you during the recruiting process?

“That’s a good question. I would say a couple of times during my freshman year coaches would offer me and tell my coach, but he had a lot of other things going on and he would forget to tell me about the offers. Then, I would be thinking to myself, ‘I thought that school was interested in me?’ And when I would talk with their coach he would say, ‘Yeah, we offered you six months ago.’ That was one of the funniest things, but it’s all good now.”

What was your favorite moment during the recruiting process?

“Honestly, I would say getting my first offer. That’s something a young boy dreams of, and it’s something I always wanted to have happen. So, it’s something really special that happened to me. Rutgers was actually the first school to offer me.”

What was the worst moment during the recruiting process?

“Telling coaches ‘no’. You build a relationship with these guys, so it’s tough telling them you will not be attending their colleges. It’s all part of the process and sometimes you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. It’s kind of a business aspect as well, so you can’t really get too caught up in it.”

What is one thing you learned that you would share with a recruit going through the process now?

“I would say just never burn any bridges. That’s one thing I would say. From my freshman year to now, probably 90% of the coaches who were recruiting me aren’t at that school anymore. So, you never know where those coaches are going to be in the future — with another school or in the NFL or anywhere. So, I would say that’s the biggest piece of advice I would give kids who are being recruited now. Just never burn any bridges. Not just in recruiting, but in general because you don’t know how that’s going to affect you in the future.”

Which school would you have chosen if you hadn’t decided in favor of Nebraska?

“Penn State. I was kind of leaning towards committing to them before I committed to USC, so I followed them throughout the season. They are all good guys up there. Coach (James) Franklin has done an amazing job there and I’m sure they’re going to continue to be one of the top Big Ten teams.”

What position will you be playing at Nebraska?

“I honestly don’t know yet. They said either safety or corner, so I’m not sure. It just depends whatever will be the best fit for me and where I can most help the team.”

Are you expecting to redshirt your first year at Nebraska?

“No.”

What number would you like to wear at Nebraska?

“Either 21 or 8.”

What are your goals for your first year in college?

“My goals are to make the Freshmen All-American team and to make the Big Ten all-conference team. I’m always shooting high because I have high expectations for myself. That’s the main thing, just getting my name out there and making a name for myself over these next three or four years.”

What will you bring to Nebraska as far as a strong point?

“I would say just versatility. I mean, I feel like the skill set I have to play corner or safety will add another aspect to the defense. There’s a lot of talented players in the Big Ten, so that will give us a better chance of matching up against them.”

What would you like to say to the Nebraska fans?

“I would like to say to just keep the support going because we’re going to do everything that we can for you guys to turn this thing around. We’re going to do what we have to do to make you guys happy.”