Norris 3-star (HV Rating: 85.3) tight end James Carnie became the newest member of Nebraska’s 2021 recruiting class on Monday. The Nebraska native chose the Huskers over Kansas State, Iowa and Pittsburgh. He became the third tight end in the recruiting class for Nebraska.
Committed 🌽🔴⚪️ #GBR pic.twitter.com/qsVrtKmI3W
— James Carnie (@JamesCarnie1) October 12, 2020
Here are my five thoughts on the commitment.
New Blood Coming to Room
The tight end room is the only place where the Huskers don’t have a player that Scott Frost and his staff recruited to Nebraska. They had Chris Hickman in the room but he is now spending more time at wide receiver. This 2021 class gives us a great glimpse into what the Huskers are looking for in tight ends. Now the team has three coming to the room. Arguably the nation’s top tight end, Thomas Fidone, is committed. As is Creighton Prep’s AJ Rollins and now Carnie. There is a nice blend of skills between the three which will make them all fun to see develop.
Carnie’s Work Ethic
It can’t be said enough how hard Carnie had to work to put himself in this position. Gaining 34 pounds in an offseason while shaving down your 40-yard dash time from 5.1 to 4.6 is impressive. Add to that how hard he’s worked to improve as a tight end. He made himself impossible to ignore. He did that even when it appeared that Nebraska would only take two tight ends this cycle. Nebraska was always the offer he coveted and credit to him for making it happen.
Sean Beckton Is Doing Work
This is a great recruiting cycle for tight ends coach Sean Beckton. He always has an impact on the Huskers’ recruiting in the South. Now he’s gotten to flex his recruiting muscles to help his own room. His approach is genuine on the recruiting trail. He connects well with prospects and their families. The phrase “father figure” is often used to describe him. Carnie told me over the weekend that he felt that vibe from Beckton back in January when he visited for Junior Day.
Nebraska Power
The impressive run of Power 5-level Nebraskans continued with Carnie. We are now up to six players from the state who are committed to Power 5 schools.
- James Carnie-Nebraska
- Teddy Prochazka-Nebraska
- Heinrich Haarberg-Nebraska
- AJ Rollins-Nebraska
- Koby Bretz-Nebraska
- Avante Dickerson-Minnesota
- Keagan Johnson-Iowa
That’s an impressive feat for the players in this state. This group has now surpassed the 2019 cycle that had five Power 5 players, all of whom ended up at Nebraska. The Huskers did a good job landing five of seven this cycle. That type of percentage will need to continue as the battle for the top in-state 2022 players is already underway.
Done on Offense
The addition of Carnie should mark the end of offensive recruiting for the 2021 class. The Huskers will be focusing on defense from here on out this cycle. They still need a pair of defensive linemen to add to Tony Tuioti’s group. It’d be good to add another linebacker and even one more defensive back. Other than that, the Huskers can really focus on getting the 2022 recruiting class off the ground.
Greg is the Recruiting Analyst for Hail Varsity and has covered Husker athletics since 2013. He has always had a passion for sports while growing up in the Chicago area. As he got older and had to hang up his cleats and sneakers, he realized his passion for sports went beyond just watching and attending games. He has covered many events from the Rose Bowl to championship boxing matches. If he’s not talking sports, he’s hovering over his grill. He is married to an amazing woman, Kim, and they have a dog that barks when Greg yells at the TV during games.
