In a two-for-one deal, the University of Hawaii received a shared commitment from one of the top football and baseball prospects in Southern California.
Jarret “JJ” Nielsen, a prolific quarterback and five-tool shortstop from Jordan High in Long Beach, Calif., has accepted a 2025 scholarship from UH. As the larger-revenue sport, the Rainbow Warrior football team will cover Nielsen’s scholarship, although he also will be allowed to play for the baseball ’Bows.
“It was my connection and relationships to both coaching staffs,” Nielsen said of his dual decision. “Hawaii is my home away from home, as well.” His father Jon Nielsen, Jordan’s head football coach and a marketing agent who has worked with the musical group Boyz II Men, has long ties with the UH football coaches.
Last year, 5-foot-11, 208-pound JJ Nielsen threw for 4,194 yards and 37 touchdowns for Jordan, which competes in the second-best, public-school league in Southern California. He was named to the all-state team. In baseball, Nielsen hit .533 and stole 31 bases. He was invited to play for MLB scouting teams the past summer.
Jon Nielsen said his son is familiar with UH coach Timmy Chang’s’ run-and-shoot offense.
“From what we run offensively and what Timmy’s doing now with (quarterbacks) coach (Dan) Morrison is much on line with what he’s run for four years,” the elder Nielsen said. “On the football side of things, it’s seamless. He can come right now and play in the offense with the terminology.”
The elder Nielsen said Jordan’s offense also incorporates some run-pass-option concepts that play to his son’s multiple skills.
“JJ can go between the tackles,” the elder Nielsen said of his son’s elusiveness. “He’s like a running back.”
“He’s a run-and-shoot disciple,” said Brandon Huffman, the national recruiting editor for 247Sports. “He’s a perfect match for what Timmy wants to do offensively. The biggest question mark for him is going to be the baseball route because he’s a legitimate potential (Major League Baseball) draft pick next spring.”
Of his son’s pro baseball possibilities, Jon Nielsen said, “we don’t know how that will shake out. We’ve got a year to figure that out before the draft.”
Huffman said Nielsen has excelled despite dividing time between two sports. “In this day and age where a lot of guys specialize in one sport, he’s playing baseball in the spring and summer instead of doing 7-on-7 and elite-11 camps,” Huffman said. “What’s intriguing about him is he’s never fully given all his attention just to football, but he’s put up some pretty impressive numbers as a football player.”
In any scenario, Nielsen is fulfilling his potential. “I put a football in his crib when he was born,” Jon Nielsen said. “He was throwing things his whole life. He never got in trouble. Whenever he threw things, good and bad, it always went straight. I was, ‘OK, he might be all right.’”
JJ Nielsen said: “(Throws) came out naturally. Footballs and baseballs.”
Nielsen will join a select list of UH football-baseball players. Safeties Jason Ross and Nate Jackson doubled as outfielders for the baseball ’Bows. Tommy Heffernan, now UH’s strength coordinator, played slotback and shortstop for the Warriors and ’Bows. CC Sabathia, who committed to play tight end and pitch at UH, instead signed with the Cleveland Indians en route to a 19-year Major League Baseball career. Shane Victorino, who also turned down UH’s two-sport offers, enjoyed a 13-year MLB career.
