JSerra Catholic (Calif.) High School receiver Edward Schultz, right, poses with Colorado head football coach Karl Dorrell during a visit to the campus in Boulder, Colo. Schultz has verbally committed sign with CU as part of the 2023 recruiting class. (Courtesy of Edward Schultz)

Playing for a young team in one of the toughest leagues in California high school football, Edward Schultz didn't realize college recruiters had their eye on him, despite a stellar junior season.

Three months after his junior year came to an end, however, Schultz has not only received multiple scholarship offers, but now has his sights set on a career in the Pac-12. Earlier this month, the 6-foot-1 receiver from JSerra Catholic (Calif.) High School gave his verbal commitment to Colorado for the 2023 class.

"I'm very, very excited," he said. "I want it to come now, instead of having to wait another year.

"Committing this early to Colorado, it's very stress relieving because I didn't know at all where I was at (compared to other recruits) in the Trinity League. Our team is probably the youngest of them all, so we're not really the top dogs and it's hard to get film out to (colleges). So, it's really nice being able to have that spot there."

Although JSerra went just 3-8 in 2021 (0-5 in the Trinity League), Schultz stood out. He was the special teams player of the year in the league, breaking school records for single-season kickoff return yards (812) and kickoff return touchdowns (four). He also caught 21 passes for 335 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 16.0 yards per catch.

Rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com, Schultz got his first scholarship offer from Western Kentucky in November.

"It was so random," he said of the WKU offer. "It was great, though. It's a real blessing. I'm not gonna just throw them off to the side.

"I was very shocked and surprised because I didn't know that they actually knew who I was. I just one day got a call and they said, 'Hey, we'd like to give you an offer.' And I'm like, 'What? Can you repeat yourself?' I was just really shocked."

The offer from WKU got the ball rolling with recruiting and just a few days later, he got an offer from Utah and then Florida State. According to 247Sports, Schultz currently has 14 scholarship offers, including from Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado State, Florida State, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and Utah.

CU offered Schultz a scholarship in January and he instantly connected with running backs coach Darian Hagan, receivers coach Phil McGeoghan and quality control coach Chris Reinert. He has also developed a good relationship with head coach Karl Dorrell.

"With McGeoghan, from how organized and how straightforward he was and what his expectations were, it was great to see that organization he had," Schultz said.

A January visit to Boulder left Schultz in awe of the scenery and CU.

"I don't think any college ever beats Boulder in that category," he said. "The stadium was amazing. But probably most importantly, the coaches were the best. They're very easy to talk to, very outgoing and you can tell what they wanted out of a receiver.

"I just didn't see what was the con was (in choosing CU)."

It also helped that Schultz got an endorsement of CU from one of the great receivers in program history, Scotty McKnight.

At JSerra, Schultz is coached by Scott McKnight, Scotty's father. Playing for the Buffs from 2007-10, Scotty caught 215 passes (second in CU history) for 2,521 yards (fifth) and 22 touchdowns (second).

"I was on the phone with Scotty for about 45 minutes on how his experience was at Colorado and his recruiting process with them," Schultz said. "The first thing he said was that it was the best decision of his life. He loved everything. … He just told me his perspective of it, not only as a football player but also life outside the campus."

While McKnight and CU's coaches have ramped up Schultz's excitement about joining the Buffs, he's got about 15 months before he graduates from JSerra. Until then, he'll be focused on improving his game and preparing for his CU career.

"Just to progress as much as I can as a receiver, but also mentally, because I know that switch from high school to college is going to be something different," he said of his goal for senior year.

Schultz is one of three players verbally committed to CU for 2023, along with defensive lineman Kam Bizor (Houston, Texas) and quarterback Ryan Staub (Stevenson Ranch, Calif.).