It was a good week on the recruiting trail for the Huskers in at least one way. The team added the fifth commitment of the 2021 class when Utah offensive lineman Branson Yager joined the class. That is great news but it was drowned out later in the week as more and more Husker targets came off the board committing to other schools. Numbers-wise, the Huskers are ahead of the pace from last recruiting cycle but they are behind currently in comparison to other Big Ten schools, particularly Iowa and Minnesota.
Let’s get to the Recon.
Husker Commits
Randolph Kpai, Inside Linebacker, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Henry Lutovsky, Offensive Lineman, Mount Pleasant, Iowa
Christopher Paul Jr., Inside linebacker, Cordele, Georgia
Teddy Prochazka, Offensive Lineman, Elkhorn, Nebraska
Branson Yager, Offensive Lineman, Grantsville, Utah
2021 Needs
| QB | 1 | DL | 4 |
| RB | 2 | MLB | 2 |
| WR | 2 | OLB | 2 |
| TE | 2 | DB | 2 |
| OL | 1 | K/P | 0 |
The Recon:
>> Priority Florida inside linebacker target Terrence Lewis committed to Tennessee on Thursday. It would surprise me if he didn’t end up taking a couple official visits. Nebraska should and likely will continue to recruit him quietly behind the scenes. Then when the season starts hope that a hot start to the year and the established relationship plus good word of mouth from fellow Floridians is enough for a flip. Lewis is definitely a player to watch that made a decision during the shutdown who could be a flip target down the road.
>> With Travion Ford electing to stay home by committing to Missouri, I’ll (again) ask if it’s worth it for Nebraska to continue spending any time recruiting the area. You can’t completely ignore the area but putting St. Louis in the “spot duty” column might not be a bad idea. The Huskers have tried a few different approaches but nothing has materialized. I would keep a coach assigned to the area, have him stop by high schools during the evaluation period but not continue wasting efforts on players with no interest in Nebraska.
>> Even with the Huskers landing Yager this week, I don’t think they are done at offensive line this cycle. They currently have three line commits that they are high on however the numbers should work out for them to take a fourth. The prospect who is the leader in the clubhouse is Wisconsin native Marcus Mbow. He’d give Nebraska more of a swing play that could play a number of positions on the line. He has an official visit on the books for June. It would also be a possibility that Nebraska could push for a player like Tyler Maro from Iowa that could end up on either side of the football.
>> As we continue to try and piece together when athletics will resume on campus, it’s best to take a conservative approach on timetables. A source indicated to me that May 4th is when the Nebraska system will re-evaluate if they have gotten closer to opening up any part of campus. There is no expectation that Nebraska will be opening up as early as next week for classes or for “non-essential” business. There are still many hurdles to pass before that can be a real discussion. A gradual easing on restrictions may begin May 11 for individuals designated as needing to have a physical presence on campus. Particularly research and creative activities.
That doesn’t mean that Iowa President’s hope for a June 1 resuming of athletic practices is wrong. However, June 1 might be on the front end of when we can reasonably expect any real change.
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.
