The Huskers picked up commitment No. 14 on Saturday when 3-star (HV Rating: 85.2) Marquis Black verbally committed to Nebraska. Black became the first Georgian to join the class and the second defensive lineman. He chose Nebraska over Arizona, Kentucky and Virginia Tech.
Here are five quick thoughts on the commitment.
Building Southern Pipeline
We are a little past the halfway point in building the 2020 recruiting class now that the class sits at 14 commitments. Eight of those pledges are from Southern players. Florida, Alabama, Texas, and Georgia are all represented in this recruiting class which has become the trend for the Huskers under Frost.
Rebuilding the Trenches
If the beginning of the Frost Era has taught us anything it’s that Nebraska needs to rebuild and develop the offensive and defensive lines. The future of the defensive line is bright. Ty Robinson, Casey Rogers, Tate Wildeman, Deontre Thomas and Damion Daniels are all sophomores or younger. Black gives the Huskers it’s second defensive lineman of the class to pair with Nash Hutmacher. The team still has room to take two more in the 2020 class.
First Georgian of Class
Nebraska signed four players originally from Georgia in the last recruiting cycle, including running back Dedrick Mills who played his junior college ball in Kansas. The Huskers have been off to a slower start in the Peach State this cycle but have 35 offers out in the state. Nebraska is recruiting Black’s teammates, 2020 WR Justin Robinson (Georgia commit) and 2021 center Bryson Estes. The Huskers are also in the thick of things for linebacker Choe Bryant-Strother.
Position Flexibility
Black gives the Huskers another versatile defensive lineman for defensive line coach Tony Tuioti to work with. His build should allow him to hold up inside at nose tackle but his quickness off the ball should allow him to move out to end in certain situations too. On film, he shows the ability to rush the passer from the end position because he plays with good leverage and uses his hands well.
Another Commit from Ohio State Game
With Black in the fold, the Huskers now have four total commits that visited for the Ohio State game. One of the surprising things to some fans after that game was just how positive the recruits who visited that weekend were about their experience in Lincoln. There will still be the “what if” questions about what things would look like if the Huskers kept that game close but the overall weekend is still paying off. I don’t think the Huskers are done getting commitments from players who visited that weekend.
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.
