On Wednesday, 4-star (HV Rating: 92.0) JUCO wide receiver Omar Manning signed his letter of intent to become a Husker. He is my No. 1 Early Signing Day Greg’s Guy.
WR: Omar Manning
[ @TheOmarManning ]#GBRXX ☠️ #TheGoodLife pic.twitter.com/IMPGZRnzPY
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFBNation) December 18, 2019
Manning spent a long time in the top slot on the regular Greg’s Guys list. There are plenty of reasons why. The big (6-4, 230) wideout gives Nebraska an element of size that it didn’t have during the 2019 season. Manning isn’t just a big, slow wideout. He has great size but he can stretch the field, too.
He had 35 catches for 727 yards and six touchdowns on 20.8 yards per reception at Kilgore (Texas) Community College this season. He has good hands and is a willing blocker. Simply put, he can do it all. That combination of skills is rare, which is why he spent the entire cycle as Nebraska’s top wide receiver target.
Manning’s impact should be felt on the Huskers’ offense immediately. Even if he wasn’t catching passes his size and strength will make him an asset blocking on the perimeter. We saw in 2019 how vital that is to Nebraska’s rushing attack under Coach Scott Frost. The Texan’s arrival should also allow senior to be JD Spielman move back to the slot which is his best spot on the field.
The signing of Manning represents another big win with a top target for Frost and company. Nebraska’s staff is building a reputation of landing its top targets once they lock in. A tip of the cap needs to go to running backs coach and JUCO recruiting coordinator Ryan Held. He was the lead recruiter on Manning. JUCO recruiting is alive and well at Nebraska.
Manning is scheduled to graduate in May and enroll at Nebraska then.
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.
