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Jake Nawrot, a senior quarterback at John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, Illinois, exudes a newfound confidence. It could stem from his second year as the Huskies' starter, or perhaps from leading the team to an undefeated 8-0 record as the 2026 regular season nears its end. Alternatively, it might be due to his already secured college future, having committed to Kentucky and head coach Will Stein over the summer. Regardless, Nawrot is showcasing the traits that have earned him a ranking of No. 64 overall in the 2027 recruiting cycle according to USA TODAY's Composite Recruiting Rankings.
Among quarterbacks in the 2027 class, only Nebraska commit Trae Taylor (No. 10), Alabama commit Elijah Haven (No. 23), Miami commit Israel Abrams (No. 36), and Oregon commit Will Mencl (No. 52) are ranked higher than Nawrot. "I feel confident this year," Nawrot told USA TODAY Sports. "I've been able to go out there and let it rip. No hesitations this year. Last year, there was a little bit of overthinking. This year, I can just let it go loose because I trust the plan."
Learning Behind Colton Gumino
Nawrot's journey diverged from that of many top-ranked signal callers in the 2027 class. During his freshman and sophomore years, he served as a backup to Colton Gumino on the John Hersey depth chart. Gumino is now a Division I quarterback at UCLA in the Big Ten. Despite limited playing time, Nawrot never considered transferring. Instead, he embraced the opportunity to learn from Gumino. "You never know how much he's listening in meetings," John Hersey coach Tom Nelson told USA TODAY Sports. "How much he's taking in mental reps when he's not getting all the physical reps."
A pivotal moment occurred in the summer between Nawrot's sophomore and junior years. A college coach visited to watch Nawrot, even though he had never started a game. Nelson recalled that the coaches were impressed not only by his play but also by the fact that all his teammates stood on the sidelines cheering him on. This demonstrated to Nelson that Nawrot was not only absorbing information in meetings but also emerging as a leader without an on-field role. "For a high school kid, it's different than a college kid," Nelson said. "You're on scholarship; you get your meals paid. For a high school kid, there's really no reward necessarily unless you see your future. You wouldn't know he's whatever national ranked recruit he is. He's just Jake to these guys. He's holding kids accountable, but also putting his arm around when needed. I think that's an elite trait for the position and the role he's going to have to take at the next level."
Why Jake Nawrot Committed to Will Stein and Kentucky
Because he did not start until his junior year, Nawrot's recruiting process began later than some of his peers in the 2027 class. He said he did not receive major college interest until January or February. By that time, Kentucky had hired former Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein as its head coach. The Wildcats quickly rose to the top of Nawrot's options. "The track record speaks for itself," Nawrot said. "The amount of quarterbacks he's developed, as well as (Joe) Sloan at LSU with the quarterbacks he's had. I think it shows I can be another one, and it gives me a lot of faith."
On February 11, Nawrot received an offer from Stein and Kentucky. He took an unofficial visit on March 16 and committed less than a month later, on April 12. On June 19, he returned for an official visit to Lexington. Nawrot has since made another visit to Kentucky on September 12 for the game against Alabama and plans to visit again on October 24 versus Vanderbilt. "It was nuts," Nawrot said of the atmosphere against the Crimson Tide. "The first half, when they were up and everything was going well, was great. Then the second half wasn't amazing, but still, the fans and the culture there, I think the narrative is changing for football."
With Stein at the helm and a promising recruiting class led by Nawrot, the future Kentucky commit is optimistic about the Wildcats' trajectory. "Kentucky has been a basketball school, but Indiana was the same thing," Nawrot said. "They're known as a basketball school, turned it around with a 16-0 season and a national championship. There's nothing that's really telling Kentucky they can't (do the same). It's good to have those aspirations and I think Coach Stein loves the program so much. It's been a childhood dream of his to coach them, so I think playing under a coach (like that) is just really exciting."
Nelson believes that Nawrot's unique experience—waiting his turn in an era where high school players often transfer for playing time—will benefit him in the long run. His lack of early playing experience is actually an advantage due to his patience. "What's unique about Jake's story is that he didn't play as a sophomore, where most of these kids are starting as freshmen or sophomores and are already in the national spotlight," Nelson said. "I think that experience is really good for him long term, because no matter where he goes, he's going to have to experience that again with just waiting, sitting and learning."
Jake Nawrot Stats
In his junior season, Nawrot set a John Hersey school record with 3,078 passing yards, 41 touchdowns, and only two interceptions, leading the Huskies to the quarterfinals of the Illinois 7A playoffs. Entering play on Friday, October 16, Nawrot had completed 122 of 174 passes (70%) for 1,864 yards and 27 touchdowns. He has yet to throw an interception, guiding Hersey to an 8-0 record ahead of the season finale against Prospect. Against Elk Grove on October 2, Nawrot completed 19 of 24 passes for 322 yards and six touchdowns, while also adding a rushing touchdown. It was the third time in his career he threw for six touchdowns and the second time he accounted for seven total scores. If the Huskies defeat the Knights, they would achieve their first perfect season since 2023. However, the ultimate goal for Nawrot and the team is to accomplish what only one other John Hersey team (1987) has done: win a state title. The 1987 team went 12-2 under head coach Bruce Glover, one year after going 1-8. "The team's playing really well and we've been practicing well," Nawrot said. "I think the results have shown that. Our goal is to win the state championship and my personal goal is just being better every day."
Originally reported by yahoo.