Texas roots within the new era of Nebraska football grew deeper on Thursday.
Mario Buford, younger brother of Nebraska safety Marques Buford Jr., announced his commitment to Nebraska on his Instagram and Twitter Thursday night. Mario is a composite 4-star defensive back and top-300 recruit in the composite rankings. He served as a vocal leader and starter for DeSoto, Texas, last season during the team’s State Championship run.
Go Big Red🌽🌽 pic.twitter.com/U30muqh2xC
— Mario Buford (@riogocrazy) June 9, 2023
In DeSoto’s 13-game championship season this last fall, Buford made 32 total tackles, 2.5 for loss, broke up 12 passes and recovered one fumble. The 6-foot, 165-pound high school junior sprints and jumps on the DeSoto track team in the spring.
Former Nebraska defensive backs coach Travis Fisher originally recruited Buford. The latest commitment previously said Nebraska continued recruiting him throughout the coaching change and visited him whenever coaches recruited in Texas.
Buford visited Nebraska six times during his commitment journey, once during the star-studded Junior Day in March and on an official visit this past weekend. He is scheduled to take an official visit to Penn State later this month.
Buford is the eighth known member of Nebraska’s 2024 recruiting class, first in the secondary. He joins athlete Roger Gradney of Altair, tight end Ian Flynt of Katy and Houston Klein Cain offensive lineman Gibson Pyle as native Texans among the class.