Well, we are another week closer to National Signing Day on Feb 6. Things have been relatively quiet around Nebraska recruiting this week, which is not actually a bad thing since not much is catching the staff off guard right now.
There is a big decision looming on Friday night for wide receiver Charles Njoku and Nebraska will be rolling out the red carpet for outside linebacker Dylan Jordan (the lone official visitor this weekend).
Lets get to the Recon.
Class Breakdown
Husker Commits
Matthew Anderson, offensive lineman, Leesville, Lousiana
Brant Banks, defensive end, Houston, Texas
Bryce Benhart, offensive lineman, Lakeville, Minnesota
Desmond Bland, offensive lineman, Yuma, Arizona
Darien Chase, wide receiver, Vancouver, Washington
Myles Farmer, defensive back, Atlanta, Georgia
Jimmy Fritzsche, offensive tackle, Greenville, South Carolina
Jackson Hannah, linebacker, Nashville, Tennesee
Nick Henrich, linebacker, Omaha, Nebraska
Chris Hickman, tight end, Omaha, Nebraska
Rahmir Johnson, running back, Oradell, New Jersey
Michael Lynn, offensive lineman, Greenwood Village, Colorado
Luke McCaffrey, quarterback, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Dedrick Mills, running back, Garden City, Kansas
Jamie Nance, wide receiver, Blanchard, Oklahoma
Garrett Nelson, defensive end, Scottsbluff, Nebraska
Mosai Newsom, defensive end, Waverly, Iowa
Quinton Newsome, defensive back, Suwanee, Georgia
Ethan Piper, defensive tackle, Norfolk, Nebraska
Noa Pola-Gates, defensive back, Gilbert, Arizona
Ty Robinson, defentive tackle, Gilbert, Arizona
Wandale Robinson, athlete, Frankfort, Kentucky
Garrett Snodgrass, athlete, York, Nebraska
Ronald Thompkins, running back, Loganville, Georgia
Javin Wright, defensive back, Chandler, Arizona
2019 Needs
| QB | 0 | DL | 1 |
| RB | 0 | MLB | 0 |
| WR | 1 | OLB | 1 |
| TE | 0 | DB | 1 |
| OL | 0 | K/P | 0 |
Additional Recon
>> Let’s start this off by answering the question everyone reading this is wondering: What’s the latest with Charles Njoku? Over the weekend I was told that there was a lot of confidence heading into his official visit to UCLA that he would end up picking Nebraska. That all changed after his visit to UCLA.
Basically, it sounds like being close to his sister who lives in the area, plus the academics and Chip Kelly’s vision for how he would utilize Njoku in the offense, will win out for the Bruins. It’s a tough blow for the Huskers because they really coveted Njoku, but it appears Kelly just flat out won this battle.
>> Normally at this stage in the recruiting cycle, losing a player with the potential of Njoku leaves a staff scrambling. That is not the case with Frost and his group. The were ready to pivot to Demariyon Houston and that’s why Frost, offensive coordinator Troy Walters and running backs coach Ryan Held went in-home with him last night.
Houston as a “consolation prize” is pretty good. He is a former Texas commit and the two didn’t part ways due to character. He has a lot of speed and while he is not 6-foot-5, he is big enough. Things are looking up currently between the Oklahoma receiver and the Huskers. Adding another Oklahoman to the roster could also pay off in 2020.
>> One last wide receiver note: Don’t forget Darien Chase. The wideout from Washington is actually bigger than Stanley Morgan was when he got to campus. For all the talk of replacing Morgan with a 6-foot-5 option, Morgan actually wasn’t close to that and he filled that “big-bodied” role just fine.
>> We have talked a lot on the site about there being four spots left in the 2019 class. That’s still true but there is a chance that the staff leaves a spot or two open for a graduate transfer. Things are always fluid in recruiting but how many spots are left open could largely depend on if the Huskers can land either outside linebacker Dylan Jordan or outside linebacker Steven Parker (or both). There are more quality players on the board than available as of right now. In addition to those two, defensive back Jamel Starks, outside linebacker Soni Fonua, wide receiver Demariyon Houston, running back John Bivens and defensive tackle Matthew Pola-Mao are all still in play
Things get really interesting if the Huskers decide to hold a spot or two for graduate transfers that may not even pick Nebraska.
>> Wandale Watch is back. This time it’s far less stressful and quite positive. The early reviews of the Kentucky playmaker are very good. He arrived in great shape and is soaking everything up. Do not be surprised if he starts Day 1 for the Huskers if he stays on his current track.
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.
