It was a busy week for recruiting for Nebraska. After starting slow during the shutdown, the team is picking up steam on the recruiting trail. The Huskers have added five commitments since April 27 and don’t appear to be slowing down. Outside linebacker Will Schweitzer was the latest addition giving the team another athletic option at the position.
Let’s get to the Recon.
Husker Commits
Heinrich Haarberg, Quarterback, Kearney, Nebraska
Shawn Hardy, Wide Receiver, Kingsland, Georgia
Randolph Kpai, Inside Linebacker, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Henry Lutovsky, Offensive Lineman, Mount Pleasant, Iowa
Christopher Paul Jr., Inside linebacker, Cordele, Georgia
Patrick Payton, Outside Linebacker, Miami, Florida
Teddy Prochazka, Offensive Lineman, Elkhorn, Nebraska
Will Schweitzer, Outside Linebacker, Los Gatos, California
Branson Yager, Offensive Lineman, Grantsville, Utah
2021 Needs
| QB | 0 | DL | 3 |
| RB | 2 | MLB | 0 |
| WR | 1 | OLB | 1 |
| TE | 2 | DB | 2 |
| OL | 1 | K/P | 0 |
The Recon:
>> Unfortunately for Nebraska, 4-star outside linebacker TJ Bollers recruitment ended on Thursday. It was positive news for Wisconsin. It stings to lose Bollers because of the time the Huskers invested in his recruitment but the team is sitting very well at linebacker this cycle. They turned up the heat on other targets once it appeared Bollers was heading for Madison months ago.
One interesting note is that Iowa State came in second here. Nebraska was third on his list. Iowa was never in it for TJ despite his dad playing there. It should be mentioned that the Bollers family lives 10 miles from Kinnick Stadium, so losing him to Wisconsin stings quite a bit.
>> The Huskers will take at least one more wide receiver in the 2021 recruiting class. It appears that Texas wideout Latrell Neville is the best bet to be the next pass catcher to join the class. The former Virginia Tech commit stands at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds. If Neville joins the class he’d give the Husker their second wideout with good size this cycle. Assuming the Huskers land Neville, they could be done at wide receiver this cycle unless a blue-chip player becomes available.
>> Nebraska is off to a hot start in the 2021 class with linebackers and offensive lineman. Despite the early success I would still look for the Huskers to add one more at each spot this cycle. Outside linebacker in particular is where they are looking. The lineman could be a ‘best available’ situation. The Huskers are in a very good position right now with outside linebacker Christian Burkhalter (6-5, 230) out of Alabama.
>> We continue to march toward the return of football on time this fall. Schools are trying to navigate keeping the team in shape while progressing mentally. Nebraska has been working out for a while now but as Scott Frost explained on Sports Nightly this week he feels good about where his team is.
“We’ve been working for a while and the vast majority of guys that we’re going to need to win are almost football ready right now,” Frost said. “We still have some work to do from an Xs and Os standpoint and things of that nature. We’re going to need some live reps to get it really football-ready at the end of the day, but just as far as strength and conditioning levels, I feel really good about where we are.”
We won’t fully know how the team handled the long layoff until live practices are happening and even the games in the fall. It’s a positive sign that Frost appears happy with his team.
>> Nebraska’s run of early enrollee quarterbacks will continue this class. Kearney Catholic quarterback Heinrich Haarberg let me know that he will be graduating early so he can be a mid-year enrollee at Nebraska. It’s the first time anyone has ever done this at Kearney Catholic but it is not a unique situation for Nebraska. Every scholarship quarterback that Frost and quarterbacks coach Mario Verduzco have signed has enrolled early.
>> Earlier this week we posted an interview with Tennessee cornerback John Howse. While the Huskers don’t have a defensive back in this class yet I really like Nebraska’s position with Howse. He has a strong relationship with Frost and defensive backs coach Travis Fisher. The 6-foot-2 defender wants to take his official visits since he hasn’t been to Lincoln yet but things could move quickly in Nebraska’s favor. I’m close to putting in a prediction for him to be in the class.
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.
