Bernardo Nunez, the 6-foot-3, 235-pound three-star defensive end/outside linebacker from Hoboken, N.J., is getting ready to play in the state championship game against Verona on Dec. 6. His team is currently 8-3 and Nunez has over 60 tackles and 12 sacks.
Nunez, ranked as the No. 42 defensive end in the country by Scout.com, was supposed to visit Maryland officially on Nov. 22, but instead that turned into an unofficial trip. He'll be visiting the Terps on Dec. 12 instead.
"I actually have no clue why it changed," Nunez said. "I thought it was supposed to be an official visit, but maybe they'd rather have me come out there when it's not a game weekend and they can spend more time with me."
By changing the date of his Maryland trip, it bumped the visit he had scheduled to Pittsburgh to Dec. 19, the weekend he was originally supposed to visit Oklahoma. "But I haven't talked with any coach (from Oklahoma) in a while," he said. "I've got to call them and see if they are still interested in me visiting or not."
So while it wasn't an official trip, Nunez still visited the Terps on Nov. 22 for the Florida State game. "It was a great game," he said. "It was freezing, but the crowd was huge and never stopped supporting them.
"I like Maryland because they keep in contact the most and call whenever they can," Nunez said. "They just show the most love. Plus, they are close so they've been to some games and we go down there whenever we can. I've been to campus a lot and love it.
"The program had a rough season, but are still going to a bowl game, so that's cool," he said.
He says that the Terps now lead slightly over Pittsburgh and Michigan State. Nunez says he'll take his final visit to Michigan State on Jan. 10. "They had a great season and did really well," he said.
"We had a guy from Hoboken who went there (running back Tyrell Dortch) and he loved it," Nunez said. "We talk and it's good to hear what he has to say because he's gone through it before. He tries to keep it real with me about Michigan State."
The school that has impressed Nunez the most this season is Pittsburgh. "They play in a tough conference and are a young team," he said. "They are getting better and I like the coach. Coach Dave Wannstedt is an intense guy and used to coach at Miami. He's a great defensive coach and he has a lot of experience so I could learn a lot from him."
Nunez says the Panthers are recruiting him as a defensive end. "It seems like a program where I can go in and play early," he said. "They said they like me at defensive end and think that I'm a perfect fit for their program because I play fast and that's what they like."
He says he'll likely take all three visits before making a decision. "I want to find an atmosphere around the campus that I like," Nunez said. "I'd also rather stay somewhat close, but I'll go wherever I can see myself playing and living for four to five years."
Nunez reports a 2.8 core GPA and is still awaiting his SAT results.