Barrett Kitrell’s performance this fall caught the attention of college coaches. They wanted a closer look at the Ashland-Greenwood (NE) High junior offensive lineman.

Iowa State, Kansas and South Dakota State offered him scholarships after he visited their campuses. He also stopped at home-state Nebraska, Wyoming and Iowa. The last stop happened when the Hawkeyes dropped an 18-16 decision to Top 10 Oregon at a boisterous Kinnick Stadium.

“The atmosphere of the game was nuts,” Kitrell said. “There’s such a strong culture, whether it be the team or even the fans.”

Iowa continued getting to know him and passing along information during the visit.

“We talked about the program, how unique it was and the next steps in the recruiting process; keeping in touch to keep a strong relationship,” Kitrell said.

Despite growing up in Nebraska, he sees a lot to like in one of the Huskers’ top rivals.

“I love the winning culture. It always feels like they’re going to win the game, and the team never stops fighting,” he said.

Prep Redzone ranks Kitrell (6-4, 270) as the No. 27 player in Nebraska’s 2027 Class. The scouting service sees him as the cycle’s sixth-best offensive lineman in the state. With the scholarship offers and interest from other Power 4 schools, he’s an ascending prospect.

“The schools that stand out to me are the schools that have offered me along with Penn State, Iowa, Illinois and Auburn,” he said.

Offensine line coach Ryan Clanton, who offered Kitrell when he was at Iowa State this season, followed former Cyclone head coach to Penn State this month. As such, the Nittany Lions have gotten involved with Kitrell.

“The next step in the recruiting process is junior days, official visits and a great track season to show my explosiveness,” he said.

In addition to finding a great fit for football, Kitrell is digging in on the academics offered by colleges interested in him. They’ll be an important part of his final decision.

“I want to study marketing because I want to go into SaaS (Software as a Service) sales. I want to do this because of the great benefits, including the pay and flexibility of the job. I believe I am a good fit for being a SaaS salesman, as I am social, I adapt easy, I’m a quick learner, and I am persuasive,” he said.