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Big Red Recon: The Numbers Crunch Has Begun
Photo Credit: Eric Francis

Big Red Recon: The Numbers Crunch Has Begun

January 25, 2019

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.

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