No longer a secret; Bastrop quarterback Nielsen throws deep to Arizona State
- Jim Irish
- 17 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Jim Irish
Photos by Jim Irish
The secret is out.
Bastrop High School junior quarterback Weston Nielsen revealed his choice to play football at a festive gathering at Old Town Restaurant and Bar last Saturday.
The winner is: Arizona State University in Tempe.
Only his immediate family knew his decision before the announcement. I spoke with his paternal grandfather, who didn’t know his decision beforehand.
Nielsen received offers from 20 universities
Nielsen, a four-star (of five) recruit, entertained offers from 20 universities, including Texas A&M, Baylor, Houston, SMU, TCU, and Texas State. Oregon was the first to offer when Nielsen was only a freshman.
In his statement at Old Town, Nielsen said he had received an offer that morning from South Carolina. The Gamecocks, however, were late to the party.
Nielsen displayed gratitude and humility in front of two hundred at his announcement, thanking God, his parents, his two brothers, extended family, coaches past and present, teammates, and teachers, all who made him a better person.
As a member of the Class of 2027, Nielsen may verbally commit to a university but not sign until next December.
“I’m ready to make my decision because of my relationship with Coach (Marcus) Arroyo and Coach (Kenny) Dillingham,” Nielsen said to recruiting website Rivals. Arroyo is ASU’s offensive coordinator and Dillingham the head coach. “They fit me as a person and understand me for who I am.”
Bastrop head coach Jake Griedl said he understood Nielsen’s early decision to attend ASU.
“I think being done with the rat race of recruiting is beneficial heading into your senior year where you can focus on being a high school athlete,” Griedl said.
A Big 12 member, ASU forged an 8-4 record this season under Billingham and will compete against Duke in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl in El Paso on December 31.
"I think being done with the rat race of recruiting is beneficial heading into your senior year where you can focus on being a high school athlete."
-- Bastrop head coach Jake Griedl about Weston Nielsen
Sam Leavitt, a redshirt sophomore, started at quarterback for ASU this season, but reports state that he may enter the portal. Who knows whom Nielsen will compete against at quarterback in two seasons?
Nielsen has shown a natural ability to play quarterback since his freshman season when he was thrown into the fray after injuries to the two quarterbacks ahead of him.
Griedl praised then-sophomore Nielsen after he engineered Bastrop to a victory late in a district contest against McCallum.
“That’s a testament to who he is,” Griedl said about Nielsen. “He’s calm, cool, and collected. It was awesome.”
Later that season, Nielsen pulled off another come-from-behind victory in the final two minutes for the district championship against powerhouse Liberty Hill.
Nielsen put up astounding numbers in Bastrop's 11-2 season
For those fans who thrive on statistics, Nielsen threw for 3,118 yards with 45 touchdowns and just six interceptions this past season. He injured his hip in the second quarter in the third round of the playoffs against Randle and did not return.
Nielsen is not exclusively a pocket quarterback. He throws exceptionally well rolling out and calls his name on the run-pass option (RPO). His quickness is apparent on the run. He gained 373 yards rushing with five touchdowns this season. A lean 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, he often slid into tackles to avoid injury.
Behind Nielsen’s leadership and poise, Bastrop finished 11-2 and 9-3, respectively, in 2025 and 2024.
Next season, opponents will face an even more experienced Nielsen with talented receivers Dallas Crescenzo (Purdue commit), Zac Wilkinson, and Diego Rangel.
Years ago, I observed Mission’s Koy Detmer, the younger brother of Heisman winner Ty Detmer, destroy a defense with his passing in a high school contest in south Texas. Detmer grew up under his father, Sonny, his high school coach. With his high football IQ, Detmer was another coach on the field.
A slightly bigger version of Detmer, Nielsen shares the same ability as a quarterback. Detmer went on to play at the University of Colorado and spent 11 years in the NFL.
The throttle is wide open for Nielsen.
Jim Irish is a freelance writer in Bastrop, Texas