Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco sophomore defensive back Brandon Nash is one of the top safeties out West regardless of class and hasn’t ruled out making an early decision.
Nash is a very talented safety and currently checks in as the No. 112 player nationally in the Rivals Industry Ranking, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services as well as the No. 10 safety in the country.
We caught up with Nash last week at the Braves College Showcase and he told us he has five schools high on his list.
“The main ones I like that are also recruiting me hard are Washington, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Arizona State and Cal,” Nash said. “I feel good about those five and I’m excited to build a relationship with the staffs there.
“Those five have been the most consistent with me and that’s important. June 15 will be important because that’s when they can start calling us and I’ll be able to see who’s really interested.”
Nash was able to visit Oklahoma, Cal, Washington and Ohio State this off-season and broke down what stood out about each program:
Oklahoma– “That was my most recent visit, I was there for the Spring Game and I loved it there. The culture in the locker room was great and the coaches spent a lot of time with us, talking about what they expect from the players. The team is centered around building great men off the field, great students and elite players as well. They play the most freshmen and early playing time is always important and I really enjoyed watching the team complete. They were in full pads, full contact and getting after it.”
Cal– “I visited Cal the first time back in March and it was an awesome trip. I really like coach Tosh (Lupoi) and the culture he’s building there. It was just their second practice but it felt like they had been practicing for months because of how intensity and high energy it was. He’s really setting a high standard there and the defense they run is very similar to what we run at Bosco so that’s another plus.”
Washington– “I visited Washington at the end of April and also went to a game last year. The practice I was at was actually a full three hour scrummage and it was great seeing them in action. They were doing full individual drills and I really like how Taylor Mays coaches. We have a good relationship and he talked about what his expectations are for his players and what he expects. He demands a lot but I like that and I really enjoyed spending a lot of time with him and the rest of the staff.”
Ohio State– “Ive been to Ohio State three times now and I always love it there. I was a le to talk a lot with coach Matt (Guerrieri), the defense overall and how I fit in there. I’ve been to a game at Ohio State and the atmosphere is incredible. I love that big stage that Ohio State plays a lot and they do a great job developing defensive backs. I would love to return later in the summer for a camp and work closely with the coaching staff. They’re really high on my list and have been for a long time now.”
ASU has always been on Nash’s short list.
“They were my first offer,” Nash said. “You never forget the first one and I’ve been to ASU a number of times. I’ve spent a lot of time in Arizona so I have a strong comfort level there and I really like the coaching staff and what they’re building at ASU.”
Nash told us previously that if it feels right, he could make an early decision and lock something in before his junior season.
“It’s going to depend on how the calls go after June 15,” Nash said. “Like I said, that’s going to tell me who’s really interested and based on those conversations, I think I’ll be able to tell if I should make an early decision or not.
“I’m in no rush and have no problems playing my junior season out but if I feel really good about a school, then yeh, I could make an early commitment.”