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.
Highland Community College defensive line transfer Jahkeem Green is officially on campus and with the team. Green worked hard over the summer to get his academics in order, and now he gets to concentrate on football before classes start in Lincoln on Aug. 26.
There is still plenty of catching up he needs to do if he wants to factor into the 2019 season. That includes being medically cleared by the Huskers’ training staff.
“Well, once he can get with us, we are going to try to use as much time as we can to our advantage,” defensive line coach Tony Tuioti said on Tuesday. “We are not restricted by the 20-hour rule right now. This is a great opportunity for him to catch up and close the gap on the guys. The first thing is to get himself in shape. Then he has to learn the playbook and techniques. He has a lot of work to do to catch up. There are a lot of practices and meetings missed. We’ve got everything in place to help him close the gap so he can come out and help us. He’s definitely big and athletic.”
Sorting out paperwork and grades caused Green to miss nine practices. He has also missed quite a few meetings but the Huskers staff is excited to work with him. Green has worked out in the offseason but that can’t replicate working out with strength and conditioning coach Zach Duval or being on a Coach Scott Frost team.
Still, expectations are not lowered for the defender. His talent was enough to get him scholarship offers from Georgia and Alabama this cycle. It turned out he could not go to an SEC school because of an online math class though.
"I'm sure he'll challenge for a starting role," defensive coordinator Erik Chinander said following Tuesday’s practice. "Just because he got here late doesn't mean he can't be in that thing. He's got to earn it, just like everybody does. But he's definitely depth, definitely an inside guy that gives us some pass rush and some help against the run, I think, is where his value's at."
Nebraska expects to get Green on the practice field in the next day or two. He’s only been in Lincoln for a few days but he has caught the attention of his teammates. Green is passing their eyeball test already.
"That’s a big dude. A big, stout dude," senior inside linebacker Mohamed Barry said. "I’m going to call him ‘The Triplet.’ He’s like another Davis twin. He's a good dude.”
Senior defensive lineman Darrion Daniels agreed.
“He carries 327 better than I do, I’ll let you know that,” he said. “He looks pretty good. He came in, looks pretty solid and it looks like he’s been running too. He’s kind of slim and lean.”
Green can be another piece to the defensive line puzzle that brings the best out of the group. It’s a competitive position group whose progress can go a long way in determining the fate of the 2019 season.
Recruit Watch
>> Former McCook standout inside linebacker Zach Schlager has entered the transfer portal and is reportedly considering Nebraska.
Life Changes pic.twitter.com/ppemekKu20
— Zach Schlager (@Zschlager21) August 13, 2019
>> Defensive line target Montra Edwards Jr committed to Missouri on Tuesday.
https://twitter.com/MontraEdwards5/status/1161304994987073538
ICYMI
>> Communication is key to Nebraska’s defensive growth this fall according to defensive coordinator Erik Chinander.
>> Nebraska volleyball checks in at No.2 in the preseason AVCA poll.
>> Nebraska’s defense is enjoying being the “villains” during fall camp.
>> Barry has a key role in building the defense’s confidence for 2019, writes Jacob Padilla.
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.
