At least for Salpointe Catholic defensive lineman Keona Wilhite, it sometimes takes two. After a whirlwind second recruitment following Kalen Deboer’s departure from Washington to Alaba, Wilhite signed his second National Letter of Intent of the cycle, this one pledging to the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Wilhite chose Nebraska over UCLA and declared his commitment to the Huskers on 247Sports. In January, Michigan State was also a part of Wilhite’s recruitment.

In January, Wilhite was allowed to leave Washington and became connected with the Huskers. Although the defender had already earned an offer from Nebraska earlier in the cycle, defensive coordinator Tony White and defensive line coach Terrence Knighton helped push for the second wave of interest into the Huskers into the picture

In mid-January, Wilhite paid a formal visit to Lincoln, enduring the bitter cold to spend several days with Matt Rhule and the staff. Wilhite had been to East Lansing to see Michigan State because the defense was being recruited by the team’s new coach, Jonathan Smith, while he was still at Oregon State.

For Wilhite and his family, the official visit and the following house visits left a lasting impression. Keona’s father, James Wilhite, expressed his admiration for Matt Rhule to Blair Angulo, saying:

James Wilhite stated, “The faith, loyalty, and family aspect was the top thing with coach Rhule.” The best part of the trip was getting to know him—both as a coach and as a person. He has surrounded his staff with former teammates and players from his NFL days, which speaks volumes about his relationships. What he believes is what he puts into those individuals.

Keona Wilhite: 4-star DE, former Washington signee commits to Nebraska football, explains why he chose Huskers over UCLA

Wilhite has joined the ranks of Elkhorn South defensive lineman Ashton Murphy and Castle View defensive lineman Jordan Ochoa as the newest member of the class.

Here is 247Sports analyst Greg Biggins’ most recent scouting report on Wilhite:

At 6-5 and 240 pounds, this classic edge frame has much room to add more weight. long arms, agile, and capable of running. was clocked this season at 18.72 mph using the Catapult GPS, demonstrating his ability to make plays outside of his zone. possesses the agility to run down plays from behind and pursues the football with great intensity. demonstrates some natural pass rush ability, has good hand-eye coordination, and can outpace an opponent’s tackle straight away. can keep honing his get-off and initial burst, and once he does, he’ll elevate his play. possesses a steady motor, physicality at the point of attack, and the ability to start for the Power 5 level for a number of years.

The recruit from Tucson, Arizona is rated by 247Sports and 247Sports Composite as a three-star prospect.