Now that the evaluation period is over, the Nebraska coaching staff can come off the road recruiting and have about a week in Lincoln before camp season starts. There haven't been any new commits this week (see more about that below) but there are lots of things happening as Nebraska kicks off a pretty important month of recruiting.
Class Breakdown
Husker Commits
Thomas Grayson, running back, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Rahmir Johnson, running back, Oradell, New Jersey
Garrett Nelson, defensive end, Scottsbluff, Nebraska
Ethan Piper, defensive tackle, Norfolk, Nebraska
Garrett Snodgrass, athlete, York, Nebraska
2019 Needs
| QB | 1 | DL | 3 |
| RB | 1 | MLB | 1 |
| WR | 2 | OLB | 2 |
| TE | 0 | DB | 4 |
| OL | 4 | K/P | 0 |
Additional Recon
>>Earlier in the week, I wrote about my conversation with McKenzie DeVille, the run game coordinator at Clear Lake High School in Florida where recent Huskers 2019 QB offer Shea Suiaunoa goes to school. One thing I can definitely add to that conversation is that Mario Verduzco has made a very strong impression on the people at that school. DeVille tells me that even their backup quarterback has been raving about how great he thinks Verduzco is. When it comes to Shea, I’ve been told that he is held in high regard by the staff and they will continue recruiting him hard.
>>A couple of days ago, a new Greg’s Guys list went out. This month’s list saw a repeat of Omaha Burke 4-star LB Nick Henrich in the No. 1 slot and there is a reason for that. I have it on pretty good authority that Henrich is the top player on Nebraska’s board overall. Henrich is a special talent and the type of young man that can eventually be the face of the program. Combine that with him being an in-state player and this is a battle that Scott Frost and his staff really want to win.
>>On Thursday there were reports that Notre Dame graduate transfer cornerback Nick Watkins is looking to set up a visit soon. I can confirm those reports and add that he spoke with Frost and Ryan Held yesterday but it’s unclear if there is an exact date set up. I spoke with Michael Johnson, Watkins' head coach at Bishop Dunne High School in Texas, and he told me that Watkins is a ball hawk with good cover skills. From talking to a Notre Dame source, it sounds like Watkins is moving on purely to get an easier path to more playing time because a sophomore started over him during the back half of last season.
>>As I reported yesterday, 3-star quarterback John Rhys Plumlee is making his way to Lincoln today. In fact, he and his parents flew in last night. Color me intrigued by Plumlee. He is a terrific athlete as you can see in his film and by his prowess on the baseball field. There are some schools recruiting him as an athlete but Nebraska has always been up front with him that they feel he is a QB. A great impression on Plumlee and his parents could go a long way with him looking to make a summer decision. I do know that the Mississippi signal-caller is rising fast up the Huskers' QB board.
>>Speaking of quarterbacks, I was made aware of an interesting wrinkle in Michael Johnson Jr. recruitment. His sister works in the football offices and runs track at Nebraska. When you are trying to lure a 4-star quarterback from Eugene, Oregon, you’ll take any leg up you can get, and having his sister here could be a nice bonus to tip the scales in the direction of the Big Red. The Huskers still need to get a date for an unofficial visit for Johnson but both sides are working to make that happen.
>>One injury update on a defender who has shown a lot of potential. Our own Derek Peterson reported yesterday in The Varsity Club about JoJo Domann’s recovery. Domann told him he's been cleared for everything but contact. He'll go through summer workouts with the rest of the team, but "if camp started today, I'd be able to do everything but contact." The setback that Frost mentioned was actually a re-tear of the same ACL he injured in the first place. It’s great to hear that Domann is on the path to recovery.
>>Over the holiday weekend, Husker fans were anticipating the next commit for the class of 2019. Junior college defensive tackle Tony Fair from Pima Community College in Tuscon, Arizona, is still expected to join the class sooner rather than later. I'm told the snag has been a bit of a split among his family between Nebraska and the home-state school of Indiana. I still expect Nebraska to win out here and it should happen soon.
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.
