We are inching closer to the start date of college football mini-camps around the country. Things are still changing daily in response to the COVID-19 pandemic but organized weight lifting acitvities are pressing on in Lincoln for now. The team is preparing for the 2020 season which is the only thing they can do right now. Despite the uncertainty, there is plenty to get into behind the scenes on the recruiting front.
Let’s get to the Recon.
Husker Commits
Gabe Ervin, Running Back, Buford, Georgia
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
Seth Malcom, Inside Linebacker, Tabor, Iowa
Latrell Neville, Wide Receiver, Houston, Texas
Patrick Payton, Outside Linebacker, Miami, Florida
Teddy Prochazka, Offensive Lineman, Elkhorn, Nebraska
Will Schweitzer, Outside Linebacker, Los Gatos, California
Lardarius Webb, Defensive Back, Jackson, Mississippi
Branson Yager, Offensive Lineman, Grantsville, Utah
2021 Needs
| QB | 0 | DL | 3 |
| RB | 1 | MLB | 1 |
| WR | 0 | OLB | 1 |
| TE | 2 | DB | 1 |
| OL | 1 | K/P | 0 |
The Recon:
>> Husker fans should keep an eye on Saturday afternoon. Sefensive back target Marques Buford is set to announce his college choice then. There were some rumors that he would skip out on prep school this year and be a late 2020 addition instead. I can report that isn’t the case. Buford will complete his time at St. Thomas More in Connecticut. Then he will enroll early at his school of choice. It’s between Nebraska, Texas A&M and Washington State. I like the Huskers to win here for the versatile defensive back.
>> We don’t know what visits will look like in the fall or if any conferences will be playing nonconference games. Recruits are making tentative plans for visits in some cases. Council Bluffs tight end Thomas Fidone is hoping to check out LSU in September. The visit would be on September 12 for the Tigers’ game against Texas. It’s not new that he wants to get out on the road since he’s been consistent in saying he wants to take visits. Stay tuned on if that visit can happen.
>> The Huskers made the final five for Michigan offensive lineman Marcus Mbow this week. Despite being linked with him for most of this cycle, I don’t expect him to end up in Lincoln. It comes down to the numbers here. The Huskers have other needs that rank higher than adding a fourth offensive lineman. An exception would likely be made for New Jersey lineman Geno Vandemark. He could blossom into a nice center after Cam Jurgens. For now, I think Mbow heads to Arizona State.
>> The class of 2019 is really the group that the Husker staff thinks can power the program’s resurgence. One of the top-rated players from that group was defensive back Noa Pola-Gates. He was slowed by an injury last season but on Sports Nightly Thursday night Travis Fisher said that is ahead of schedule.
“He’s flying around,” Fisher said. “He’s so much more mature and we’re going to see some great things coming out of him this year.”
Pola-Gates can sometimes get lost in the shuffle. There is a talented group of defensive backs in Lincoln. It’s encouraging for Nebraska if he can move toward fulfilling his potential.
>> Let’s stay in the secondary. The Huskers are still in good position with late junior college transfer Nadab Joseph. There could be news on that front sometime next week. Joseph would be a welcome addition for the last remaining scholarship spot from the 2020 group.
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.
