The Huskers have added another playmaker to the 2021 recruiting class.
Norris 3-star (HV Rating: 85.3) tight end James Carnie announced his decision to commit to Nebraska on Monday.
Committed 🌽🔴⚪️ #GBR pic.twitter.com/qsVrtKmI3W
— James Carnie (@JamesCarnie1) October 12, 2020
There was a lot of talk about whether or not Carnie would be able to get an offer from the Huskers. That wasn’t necessarily due to his play on the field or athletic potential.
Carnie has had a tremendous start to his season after improving his game significantly from his junior to senior year. Carnie worked hard this offseason to gain 32 pounds while taking his 40-yard dash from a 5.1 to 4.6.
The issue Carnie ran into with getting the offer from the Huskers was tight scholarship numbers for this class. The Huskers had to balance the possibility of taking a third tight end with needs elsewhere. Also, there are plenty of quality 2022 tight ends with interest in Nebraska. That includes Bellevue West standouts Micah Riley and Kaden Helms.
It was a huge accomplishment for Carnie when the offer did come from Nebraska.
“Coach Frost called me last Sunday and we talked a little bit about football,” Carnie said. “We talked about what they're recruiting me as and he said tight end. I thought alright, good. Then he extended the offer. I was obviously super excited about it.
“It was my dream school that I've been waiting for a while.”
Carnie’s parents were thrilled about their son having the opportunity to play for the home state Huskers. Relationships have always been key throughout the process for Carnie. It took some time for the Huskers to offer him a scholarship but he still maintained constant contact with tight ends coach Sean Beckton.
“When he called me on a Tuesday or so he said, we finally got you an offer,” Carnie said. “He's super excited that it finally happened. Building a relationship with Coach Beckton is awesome. He's a great guy. For him throughout the whole process to be excited about me it really means a lot.”
The Huskers latest commit does have a relationship with a couple of the guys already in the class. He snapchats with fellow tight end Thomas Fidone often. He’s gotten to know his future quarterback Heinrich Haarberg too. Carnie, Haarberg and Teddy Prochazka all met during a photo shoot a couple months back.
Now the Huskers have three tight ends in the class. There will be some questions on how that makes everyone feel. For the Norris star, it didn’t matter at all that he is joining two other tight ends.
“No, I want to go in and compete,” Carnie said. “I want to earn my spot. You know obviously with Thomas [Fidone] and AJ [Rollins], they are two really good athletes. It'd be a fun competition that's for sure.”
When it comes down to the biggest factors that drove his decision Carnier had three in mind. He was always focused on relationships, fan base and nutrition. He really enjoys the relationships he has built with the Norris coaching staff. Carnie feels like the Norris fans are the best in Class B. He wanted to find that same thing in his future college.
Carnie is the 19th known commitment of the 2021 recruiting class. He picked the Huskers over Kansas State and Iowa.
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/8185226/5f663ddb386d6c070cfa7971
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.
