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.
There are a lot of players who are taking a trip through the transfer portal right now.
There are currently many Power 5 players who are in the portal. Nebraska has six players who have entered their names and have yet to find new schools. This is only the beginning. Another wave of players around the country will go portaling after the conclusion of spring practice. That makes sense. Players and teams will have another winter/spring to check needs and fit within a program.
As winter condition gets underway at Nebraska, what are the Huskers’ transfer needs? Presumably one of the two open slots for 2020 could be used on transfer players. The traditional high school or junior college route is still an option too.
Defensive end: This spot could still be a place for a high school prospect to develop but given what the Huskers lost and return, it would make sense to look at adding an end to the mix. That might ease the transition to the young ends on the roster.
Linebacker: The biggest need on defense in the class of 2020 was mostly met during the December signing period. Still, if an impact player could be added here it would be nice. The linebacker group isn’t short on potential, yet there are not enough known commodities at this point.
Kicker/punter: I’ll continue beating the drum that a specialist should be the No. 1 priority for one of the remaining spots. There are many kickers in Lincoln vying for the top spot this spring. All have questions ranging from health to inexperience at this level. Special teams cost the Huskers games in 2019. There is no need for a repeat in 2020.
Teams have to be careful when looking for additions through the transfer portal. It’s not wise to rely on it consistently to improve your team but can be a helpful tool. It’s one more piece of the team building puzzle that Nebraska’s staff has to keep an eye on.
Recruit Watch
>> Bellevue West state champion quarterback Nate Glantz announced that he will be attending Iowa Western.
John 13:7
Excited to say I will be continuing my academic and athletic career at Iowa western!⚪️🔵 @CoachStrohmeier pic.twitter.com/59yfx4dCE1
— Nate Glantz (@nglantz18) January 13, 2020
>> Big time 2022 quarterback prospect Walker Howard was invited to the Under Armour camp series on Monday.
Honored to receive an invite to the UA-All American Camp Series! ⭐️ #WEWILL @DemetricDWarren pic.twitter.com/IRsjyey9CB
— Walker Howard (@Walker_Howard4) January 13, 2020
>> The contact period is back open at the end of the week which means schools can also host official visitors. Kris Abrams-Draine, an Alabama athlete, is set for his visit.
Nebraska Friday 😈‼️ #GBR
— Kris Abrams-Draine🦍 (@KD1ERA) January 13, 2020
ICYMI
>> Derek Peterson gave us 25 things to look forward to with Nebraska football in 2020 in his Monday column.
>> In our early enrollee previews, it’s time to take a closer look (Premium) at quarterback Logan Smothers.
>> There was big Husker volleyball news on Monday as it was announced that Tyler Hildebrand would return as Associate Head Coach.
>> Jacob Padilla has your high school roundup which includes Donovan Williams’ debut.
>> There were some big additions (Premium) to the Hail Varsity confirmed Junior Days list including a note on Nebraska’s top defensive target for 2021.
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.
