Jonathan Epperson, Jr. is well-traveled.  He’s lived in Maryland, Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama–all ports of call for his mother and father who served in the military for nearly 20 years.

The 6-1, 195 pound 2025 linebacker, currently unrated by the major scouting services, now at Auburn Riverside, south of Seattle, Washington is sporting offers from USC, Utah, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington State, Nevada and recently, Washington.

The Huskies offered him the day after Valentines Day but had been showing him love for a long time.

“Coach Inge said that they had been checking me out for a while but wanted to make sure that I was a right fit,” he said.

His mother is from Compton, California and his father is from Columbus, Georgia but they met in Pensacola, Florida during their military training.  They have been married for nearly 20 years.

During those years Epps, as he’s known to many of his friends, has spent time with his grandmother in Alabama while his parents were deployed in the Western Pacific Waters (WESPAC).  There he discovered a love for food.

“I love to eat–especially sea food,” he said.  “I’m getting hungry just thinking about the food at Washington.  I’m not going to lie, the food was amazing at U-Dub,” he recalled of one of his visits last year.

When his family lived in Meridian, Mississippi they’d make a 3-hour drive to New Orleans.  It became one of his favorite places to visit because of the food.

“We spent quite some time in New Orleans.  I love it down there.  The smell is different,” he said of the aromatic French Quarter.  “They have a place down there called Corners Oyster Bar and Grill.  Amazing shrimp po boys.”

But a tenth of a mile northeast of Corners is his favorite stop:  Café Du Monde.

“My favorite thing is beignets,” he said.

This past season he visited the University of Washington a couple of times, taking in UW’s big non-conference against Michigan State.

“I was in the stands for the Michigan State game and I wasn’t sure how the Huskies would stack up against them,” he said.  “I’m not going to lie, the Huskies were eating on defense.”

Again with the eating.

While he loves the warm weather of the south he loves the opportunities the Seattle business community offers after his playing days are over.

During his time in the south he picked up more than a Po Boy or two.

“Football is a different type of game down in the south.  For a lot of players down there, football is their way out,” he said about the difference between football down south compared to the Pacific Northwest.  “Down there it’s a mental toughness.  There aren’t a lot of options after football.  If they don’t make it they have to go work in some factory or farm or something.”

That mental toughness that he picked up in the south he’s brought to his team at Auburn Riverside and to Heir Academy’s 7v7 league.

He was his usual silent but violent last weekend helping Heir take home the championship in “Battle at the Border” in Vancouver this past weekend.

“I’m not big on too much talking–it’s a bit overrated,” he said.  “I do my best to lead by example.  I put my head down and go to work.  I show them that this is what I’m about.  We hop on the same train: One team, one dream.”

And lead he did.  As a sophomore at for Auburn Riverside he up a team-high 7.7 tackles per game.  Among his 77 tackles, 8.5 were behind the line of scrimmage including two sacks.

Among the offers that he received Washington may be the most coveted.

“I was waiting on the Washington offer,” he said.   I like their style of play on defense.  They put a lot of pressure on the linebackers to make plays.  I feel like I could eat in their scheme. ”

A sophomore defender at Auburn Riverside he feasted.  From his middle linebacker position he made the play calls and lead the Ravens in tackles.

“I feel at home with the coaches, I love the food.  Those are important factors to me,” he said.

But he also has a healthy appetite for working out.

“I want to check out their weight room on my next visit,” he said.  “That’s where you spend a lot of time as a player so it’s important to me that it’s a place I can see myself spending a lot of time.”

Although he doesn’t have a date set up for a return visit to Washington he’s working towards a springtime visit.