One of the earliest believers in the Rise, Jonathan Van Diest finally makes his college choice official as he signs with Colorado. He is a one man wrecking crew from Cherry Creek high school and should fit at either middle linebacker or outside linebacker in this defense. Before suffering some injuries in his senior year, a case could be made that Van Diest was the best defensive player in the state.
His skills goes beyond the field, however. Van Diest helped recruit this class, and, along with Dante Sparaco, formed the backbone of CUin17. Jon helped bring some talented players into the field, and his leadership will certainly be used during his time in Boulder.