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 hasn’t been a lot of talk this recruiting cycle about the Huskers and junior college wide receivers. With the youth at the position for Nebraska, it might make sense to pursue the right JUCO transfer. The Huskers struck gold by landing Omar Manning from Kilgore Community College in the 2020 recruiting class. There is another wide receiver prospect at Kilgore to keep an eye on this cycle.
Jaylon Griffin is a 6-foot-3, 180-pound wideout. He doesn’t hold an offer from Nebraska yet but he is in constant communication with the program. That includes conversations with running backs coach Ryan Held and new offensive coordinator Matt Lubick.
“Me and Coach Held, we talk every day, he calls me every day,” Griffin told Hail Varsity. “The relationship has been going well. It's been growing. Also Coach Lubick, we have also talked on the phone a couple of times. It’s been mainly Coach Ryan Held though. He just lets me know what I need to do to get better or just be a better man in general.”
While Griffin hasn’t talked to Lubick much those conversations have made an impact on him. Those talks have centered around what could happen if Griffin made his way to Lincoln. If he did, he’d be rejoining his old teammate and close friend Manning. They have discussed what it’d be like to play together again. Lubick has talked to Griffin about how Nebraska’s offense could use them both.
Manning would like to play with Griffin again but has taken a laid-back approach to peer recruiting so far.
“Oh, he's just told me it’s a good place,” Griffin said. “But he doesn't really force anything. He knows I'm a great player and can play football anywhere. He usually just tells me to just keep everyone out of my ear. Make the best decision for me.”
The Kilgore pass catcher has close to 25 scholarship offers currently. He is currently hearing the most from Houston, Louisiana Tech and Louisiana-Lafayette. Those coaches along with Nebraska’s staff have mentioned they are impressed with his run after the catch ability. He also runs well for his size and uses his size well to high-point balls.
Coming out of high school in Huntsville, Texas, Griffin went to straight to Kilgore because he was a late qualifier. As he starts to see more attention with his recruitment, there are a few things he is looking for in a future school.
“I’m looking for consistency,” Griffin said. “A winning team and a team that can play together that is not just based around one player or one position. A team that can give you some exposure and help me be the best player I can be.”
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/8034417/5debb5b96655af0e74edb14c
Recruit Watch
>> Wide receiver target Jaylin Noel is the latest Nebraska recruit to show off his fishing skills.
Now that’s a bass😂 6 pounds!!! pic.twitter.com/69GNgGCGzi
— Jaylin Noel (@noel_jaylin) May 23, 2020
>> Nebraska outside linebacker commit Patrick Payton picked up an offer from West Virginia.
Blessed To Receive An Offer From West Virginia University 💫🙏🏽 @CoachTTrickett @CoachVerne @Andrew_Ivins @247Sports pic.twitter.com/dJdF4bJmmh
— Pat Payton🦅 (@PatPayton6) May 22, 2020
>> Running back target Trenten Howland was offered by Iowa State over the weekend.
Thankful to receive my first Big 12 division 1 offer from Iowa State University! 🌪@EDGYTIM @DeepDishFB @AllenTrieu pic.twitter.com/PzMU0oCq2S
— T🌪 (@HowlandTrenten) May 22, 2020
ICYMI
>> Nebraska athletes are set to return to campus on June 1 after the Big Ten elected to leave the decisions to each school.
>> Relationships are standing out (Premium) for Jaylin Noel as he nears a decision between Nebraska and Iowa State.
>> Jacob Padilla dove into some film study (Premium) to see how Keem Green performed during the 2019 season.
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.
