Leadership and versatility.
Those are the two words that come to mind when you ask Mikai Gbayor’s coach to describe him. The 3-star (HV Rating: 85.8) linebacker from Irvington, New Jersey committed to Nebraska on Friday evening.
Coach Ashley Pierre started working with Gbayor (6-2, 220) started working out with Pierre four years ago when Gbayor was an in eighth grade. His talented presented itself pretty early. Gbayor started his first varsity game and was able to hold his own during his freshman year of high school. It was then that Pierre noticed he had that “dog” in him. Pierre knew that if he continued growing that he’d be a special player.
That has happened and Gbayor is now used all over the defense for his high school team.
“We kind of have him all over the place,” Pierre told Hail Varsity. “Mikai was playing a little defensive end, playing outside linebacker and as a middle linebacker. Now he attracts so much attention from offensive coordinators that we try to keep him all over the place. We kind of do some weird stuff defensively with him.
“We are a high-pressure team and then we are also a disguise team so Mikai does it all for us. Whether he’s covering slot receivers or he’s blitzing or if he’s sitting and reading to make plays he does it all for us.”
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11078891/5ddad7352aa81e0d2c3ba19a
There are a number of ways in which the Huskers can use Gbayor’s skills on the field. Pierre likes the plan that the team has for his star linebacker. The pressures that the Huskers like to bring suits Gbayor well since he moves so well laterally. The intangibles stick out most from Pierre’s conversations with Nebraska’s staff.
“I think the character and toughness he brings to the overall room is what we speak about most,” Pierre said. “They see him as a future captain. They see him as a kid who can be an All-American if he does the right things. He has all of those qualities and traits. He just needs to continue down his path and continue to be a leader and then great things can continue to happen for him.”
Selected 3 Captains Yesterday-Mikai Gbayor, Aljay Henderson, Justin Evans💪🏿 Continue To Exemplify The Irvington HS Standard! Lead The Right Way Men!! @MGbayor @aljayhenderson_ @JustinEvans53 #IrvingtonTuff #LongLiveNae pic.twitter.com/boWnOcD24r
— Smoke (@CoachSmokeNJ) August 1, 2020
Gbayor has demonstrated leadership qualities during his high school career. He understands the importance of education and hard work. He’s a student of the game and loves watching film. Nebraska got a taste of that as well. He spent time asking current players about the team’s work ethic when he was researching the school.
The Huskers’ latest commit was most interested in building relationships with coaches and players during the recruiting process. Those type of players that love the game and seek out hard work are perfect fits for what Coach Scott Frost is building in Lincoln.
We’ll see how things work out for the New Jersey native on the field. It would be wise to not bet against him given how many things he can do on the field and how hard he works.
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.
