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 were a lot of different storylines involving Nebraska bringing on more talent to team this spring. Mostly we were discussing traditional high school recruiting. Nebraska has a pair of commitments for the 2022 recruiting class. The program is hard at work to add players in a pivotal year on and off the field for coach Scott Frost.
We are heading toward June. The dead period will be lifted. Everyone is quite interested in who will be coming to campus. It’s going to be a busy month. Camps, official visits, new offers and evolving recruiting boards are on the menu.
Something got lost in the shuffle. Nebraska has two remaining scholarships to use from the 2021 recruiting class. The biggest question of the spring with that was if the Huskers would use one of those spots on a transfer quarterback. We got to see some of what Logan Smothers and Heinrich Haarberg can do this spring. The coaching staff saw it all and feel comfortable with them moving forward. As Frost said more than once, quarterback isn’t an option in the transfer portal.
One position that does seem to be an option is defensive back. Nebraska’s secondary is on solid footing with the top line group. Cam Taylor-Britt, Quinton Newsome, Deontai Williams and Marquel Dismuke are good starters. After that it can get thin, especially at cornerback. A lot of teams pass the ball a lot so you having more corners is never a bad thing.
That could be why the Huskers made an offer to Tulsa transfer cornerback Akayleb Evans. Evans is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound defender. He’s a graduate transfer with two seasons of eligibility remaining. He was granted the extra year because he received a medical hardship waiver for the 2019 season. A shoulder injury cost him the majority of that season.
Blessed and grateful to receive an offer from The University of Nebraska. #huskers pic.twitter.com/dECKdKcCPz
— Akayleb Evans (@AkaylebEvans) May 15, 2021
Evans was productive for Tulsa during the 2020 season. He started nine games and totaled 29 tackles with one sack. The defender also had three pass breakups and forced a fumble.
Evans has been busy lately with new offers coming in. Since entering the portal he’s received offers from Minnesota, TCU, Mississippi State and Kansas State among others. I’d be surprised if Evans was the only transfer defensive back the Huskers pursued.
The team is in a position to add players that fit more of a “best player available” mode. Outside of an elite pass rusher there isn’t a glaring need that Nebraska will be able to potentially get from the portal.
Now spring football is over. It will be interesting to see who the Huskers go after in the portal to boost the team heading into the 2021 season.
Recruit Watch
>> Former Husker wide receiver Jamie Nance has found a new home quickly after entering the transfer portal.
#Committed pic.twitter.com/FfaD1vPUSW
— Jamie Nance (@_jamienance) May 15, 2021
>> Husker defensive line target Chris McClellan out of Oklahoma picked up a big offer over the weekend.
#AGTG Blessed and honored to have earned an offer from Georgia!! #GoDawgs ⚪️🔴🐶 @TravionScott pic.twitter.com/tKPIXUliSk
— Chris McClellan 7️⃣🦍 (@ChrisDMac10) May 16, 2021
>> Check out Huskers quarterback target MJ Morris at work this weekend.
MJ Morris is one of the top uncommitted QBs in the region, recently visited #Nebraska pic.twitter.com/424vkwXute
— Greg Biggins (@GregBiggins) May 16, 2021
>> Nebraska priority target Jaren Kanak has stayed hot on the recruiting trail picking up offers from Penn State and Wisconsin this week.
Blessed to have received an offer from The University Of Wisconsin‼️@BadgerFootball pic.twitter.com/EOgCxoliWO
— ✞ Jaren Kanak ✞ (@KanakJaren) May 14, 2021
ICYMI
>> As I wrote, high school coaches are focused on getting their players exposure (Premium) this summer.
>> Derek Peterson took stock (Premium) of a deep defensive line room heading into the summer.
>> In a story that originally appeared in Hail Varsity Magazine, Jacob Padilla took a look at how Nebraska volleyball landed its best class yet.
>> Husker baseball rallied to defeat Northwestern then had Sunday’s game canceled.
>> Derek Peterson caught up with Darrion Daniels for the latest episode of the Varsity Club podcast.
