But there is yet another option who will be arriving in June to practice with the football team. Nebraska baseball signee
Mikey Pauley
was the Kansas Max Preps Football Player of the Year for 2021, and he was also the recipient of the prestigious Simone Award given out to the top football player in the Kansas City metro area after every season.
"I've been on the phone with both the football and baseball guys here recently, and just getting in touch with the new [offensive] staff coming in to kind of lock it all in and make it official to put something out there," Pauley explained. "That's really what we talked about."
Pauley has been in contact with Nebraska's new offensive coordinator,
Mark Whipple, among others discussing the plan of action for him going forward.
Pauley will complete his spring baseball season with Overland Park (Kan.) Blue Valley Northwest, and then he will head to Lincoln in June to begin working out with the football team. He was offered football scholarships by both Kansas State and Kansas before he signed to play baseball with the Cornhuskers.
"I'm going to be up there for summer [football] camp and also try to find some baseball activity during the summer, and then just go forward with doing football in the fall and transitioning into baseball," the 6-foot-4, 205-pound Pauley said. "We'll see how that looks, but I'm sure we'll make it work out with both sides.
"I've been talking with
Sean Dillon and Coach Whipple. Coach Whipple talked to me about what he's heard about me and he spoke with the baseball staff as well. I'm going to speak with him again more once he gets settled in in Lincoln. I just introduced myself to him and got to know him a little bit."
As a senior in 2021, Pauley led Blue Valley Northwest to the 6A state championship in Kansas. He had 3,159 yards of total offense (1,945 passing, 1,214 rushing) and 45 touchdowns. He started the last couple games of his freshman year in high school, and then was the starting quarterback for the past three seasons as well.
In the state title game, he completed 15-of-21 passes for 186 yards and one touchdown in a 41-21 victory over three-time defending champion Derby. He also ran for another 157 yards and four scores on 32 carries.
"I think I do well not only throwing the ball, but also making plays with my feet," Pauley stated. "Just kind of extending plays if there's pressure or a play breaks down. I'm good at getting the ball to the guys who are running routes out there."
On the baseball side of things, Pauley was initially recruited by coach
Will Bolt and staff as a catcher, but they're leaving open the possibility that he could play a corner infield or a corner outfield position once he gets to Nebraska.
"They are kind of leaving it open, but I definitely think it helps that I can catch or play anywhere when I get up there," Pauley said. "I've been working out and getting ready for baseball to start this spring."
Pauley will remain on a baseball scholarship unless he would see action in a football game. Then, he would transition to being a football scholarship player in Lincoln.
"I just want to make an impact any way I can once I get there," Pauley said. "I definitely want to help make the team better. For sure."
