Nebraska football has powerful competition for fast rising edge prospect, JJ Hanne

There was a time when JJ Hanne was likely wondering when he was going to get his first Power 4 offer. Then the Nebraska football team came calling. 

It’s nothing new at all that Nebraska was the first offer for a prospect who got popular soon after. However, the fact that the Huskers were the first offer, and just a week after he got that offer, the Georgia Bulldogs came calling just over a week later. 

Even for Matt Rhule and his staff, things don’t usually move that quickly for guys they’ve identified. It’s almost as if the Bulldogs were just waiting to see if Hanne would get an offer from somewhere else. Or maybe they just had him come to camp and were convinced that the Huskers knew what they saw.

Nebraska football has sudden rival for fast rising edge rusher

Hanne did indeed camp in Athens on Friday. That camp was quite productive as he left with a brand new offer from one of the most prestigious programs in the country.

The offer from Georgia just means that things are moving faster than anyone could dream. 

Hanne, who originally hails from Germany, grew up playing basketball, soccer, competed in taekwondo and jiu-jitsu. What finally drew his attention to football was watching his brother play. Then he met Brandon Collier, a man who helps international recruits find their footing in the US so they can play college ball.

"I met Brandon [Collier] at a camp in Berlin and he liked my athleticism," Hanne recently told Rivals. "The opportunity presented itself for me to come out here. I was just obsessed with the game and really wanted to play football, that’s why I got out here."

Now that he’s out here, the Nebraska football team would love to reel in the raw edge rusher. So would Georgia. Considering Hanne is a 2026 prospect, he’s going to get much more attention. Hopefully, the Huskers getting their foot in the door early will be a big help.