Aurora (Ill.) Metea Valley junior offensive guard prospect Jake Pauline (6-foot-2, 290 pounds) is one of several impressive performers from this past fall and winter showcase events. Pauline checks in and recaps his latest recruiting news and more in this latest update.

"I'm just really excited to be back working with my team and honestly I've been ready for this season since the end of 2019," Pauline said. "Early on I never thought our 2020 season would get postponed, but the longer things went on with COVID.the more nervous I became. I prayed to God that we would get a season and while I had some doubts, I never gave up hope that we would play."

Pauline filled us in on his latest recruiting process so far this winter.

"I've been in contact with quite a few schools and a lot of those coaches are waiting to see some of my early spring video highlights. I've been in touch with the coaches from Miami of Ohio pretty early on and they invited me to an early junior day event before COVID struck. I've also been in contact with the coaches from Syracuse, Ball State, Ohio, Duke, Drake, Dartmouth, Columbia, Princeton, NIU, Central Michigan, Illinois Wesleyan and Illinois."

Pauline, who started for the Mustangs as a sophomore in 2019 reflected back on his season and how his game has progressed.

"My sophomore year starting on the varsity was a big jump for me no doubt. The biggest difference was just playing under the lights and having a ton of fans at the games and at times early on it was nerve wracking. I felt that after my first game I really settled down and played much better. I also played on the sophomore level as a freshman so I'm used to playing with and against older kids for a while now. I just wanted to play well for my team that year and just try to fit in with the older guys."

So how has Pauline's overall game change this spring compared to his 2019 sophomore season?

"I'm definitely a much more aggressive player now compared to 2019. I just feel that I'm playing at a much higher level now and I'm also bigger, stronger and faster this year. I've been working with Fist Football and I've made a big jump in improving my overall fundamentals."