Recruiting never stops and it’s easy to miss the top stories day-to-day. Recruiting analyst Greg Smith recaps all things Nebraska recruiting news, analysis and more so you never miss a thing.
The questions never stop in the recruiting world. No matter what time of year it is, there is always something to talk about so we have been taking reader and listener suggestions on questions. I then answer the questions in a quick video. For this week’s topic we are answering a question from Nathan. He wants to know about the emphasis placed positions under coach Scott Frost.
“What one position do you feel this staff has under recruited compared to the others? What about a position they have put a lot more emphasis on?”
Digging into which positions Nebraska has and hasn’t placed an emphasis on can be tricky. It can’t really be done by scholarships offered. Quarterback would then be ranked low even though it’s the most important position on the team. It’s really a blending of factors that determine what you think about this question.
For me, it’s easy to see that wide receiver has been an emphasis for Nebraska since Frost took over the program. He admitted that during his 2018 signing day press conference. He said there was some balancing to the roster that needed to happen.
“Our depth and the numbers at receivers and defensive back were nowhere near the number that we’d like to carry,” Frost said. “So we definitely needed to get some guys in the defensive backfield and out wide on offense. We got the guys we wanted for the most part at those positions and feel great about what we got.
“Going forward, we’ll be able to balance the roster and fix the positions we’d like to have, but this year with the short amount of time, it was about getting the best players we could get.”
Nebraska has recruited many wide receivers every cycle under Frost. There were four in that 2018 transition class and in the 2019 class. Nebraska took five wide receivers in the 2020 recruiting class. The team followed that up with three wideouts in the 2021 class. There will be a pair of receivers in the 2022 class if things hold. The number of players taken at that position are from balancing the roster and attrition. There are even more players who have been added as transfers and walk-ons. A heavy emphasis has been placing on remaking the wide receiver room.
Defensive line is a position that jumps out as under-recruited to me. That’s not because the Huskers have ignored the position under Frost. The team has done well developing the defensive linemen that were inherited. Ben Stille, Damion Daniels and Deontre Thomas were holdovers from the previous staff. They still play big roles. Other linemen that the staff inherited have played large roles on the field. Because of that Nebraska has not had to restock that room the same way. Nebraska has signed nine defensive linemen since the 2018 class. There may only be one in the 2022 group. It’s a good thing that Nebraska hasn’t had to bring in four or five defensive linemen a recruiting class.
As we move forward it will be worth watching how these trends evolve. The smaller 2022 class may skew some numbers so looking at what happens in the 2023 and 2024 will be key.
Recruit Watch
>> Recently offered defensive back out of Ohio Adrian Brown Jr is checking in with the Huskers on social media.
GBR🌽
— P A H O K E E 2🪐 (@adrianbrownjr) August 15, 2021
>> Nebraska quarterback commit Richard Torres is gearing up for his senior season.
last ride 🖤 pic.twitter.com/sTcnRB5Rrf
— Richard Torres (@richie_2112) August 13, 2021
ICYMI
>> Attention is shifting to Illinois as the Huskers wind down fall camp.
>> The physical tools are there for Ty Robinson but the mental side of the game (Premium) will take him to the next level.
>> Derek Peterson has three offensive predictions for the Huskers in the 2021 season.
>> Nebraska volleyball debuted at No. 5 in the preseason Coaches Poll.
>> The Nebraska Preps Postgame show is back to discuss Class A contenders and the Super Six.
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.
