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.
What do Thomas Fidone, Omar Manning and Wan’Dale Robinson all have in common?
Each recruit was the centerpiece of their recruiting class’ offensive group. After landing Fidone last week the Huskers have continued their growing tradition of identifying and landing their top offensive skill player. It’s not just the Huskers internal board where these players ranked highly.
Two cycles ago, Robinson was rated as the No. 1 all-purpose back in the 2019 recruiting class. The Kentucky native was as heavily recruited as anyone around the country. During the 2020 recruiting cycle Manning was rated as the top wide receiver coming out of junior college. The big-bodied wideout (6-4, 225) is the perfect complement to what the Huskers are doing with Robinson. Scott Frost was happy to sign Manning back in December.
“Omar I’m excited about,” Frost said. “All year we kind of wished we were a little more productive at our outside receiver spot. That’s one place where we thought we wanted a kind of guy that could come in and potentially help us right away.
“There wasn’t a better guy in the country, in my opinion, for what we were looking for than him. He looks different than anybody I’ve ever coached and has tape to match. I’m really excited to get him. He’s got a little work to do yet before he gets to campus, but I think he has a chance to change our offense.”
If there wasn’t a better wide receiver in the country for what the Huskers want to do on offense the same can be said about Fidone at the tight end spot. At 6-foot-5, 222 pounds with a 4.6 40-yard dash the Iowa native fits the mold of the new tight end in college football perfectly. Nebraska will be able to line him up out wide or use him in-line from the traditional tight end spot. The Huskers are building a blueprint for how they want to build their offenses under Frost.
The fun part for Husker fans should be that the team is getting this done while still building the team they want. The results haven’t been there yet which makes it more impressive that the staff can still sell the vision. It’s not a stretch to envision a day the Huskers are able to land several skill position players in one class that are the same level of recruit as Fidone, Manning and Robinson.
The foundation is settling in for the offense Frost wants to unleash in Lincoln. Whenever we get to see the team at Memorial Stadium next, it will be fun to see the progress being made. Frost’s calling card is the offense, so things could click quickly for the Big Red.
Recruit Watch
>> Omaha Burke 2022 outside linebacker Devon Jackson was offered by Auburn on Tuesday evening.
I am EXCITED and blessed to have received an offer from Auburn University🤯🤯 @T_WILL4REAL @AuburnMade @AuburnFootball pic.twitter.com/TQziVBn2GM
— Devon Jackson (@DevontheJet402) September 2, 2020
>> Big-time 2022 tight end Bennett Christian committed to Ohio State on Wednesday.
C O M M I T T E D 🌰 edit: @Hayesfawcett3 pic.twitter.com/KwXQG45rRc
— Bennett Christian (@BennettC87) September 2, 2020
>> Iowa athlete to know from the 2022 class Xavier Nwankpa got another Big Ten offer when Wisconsin joined the party on Wednesday.
Beyond excited and blessed to receive an offer from the University of Wisconsin #BADA22BADGERS pic.twitter.com/PziFU20PIj
— Xavier “X” Nwankpa (@xaviernwankpa01) September 2, 2020
ICYMI
>> The Nebraska football players’ legal battle with the Big Ten continues on, writes Derek Peterson.
>> Projecting Husker seniors who will return in 2021 in the latest topic for Jacob Padilla to dive into for Padding the Stats.
>> A new podcast has debuted with Erin Sorensen and Sausha Durkan. The Mind Your Own podcast is here to look at how we got here in their first episode.
>> In the Hail Varsity mailbag we are placing wagers on a reborn fall 2020 Big Ten season.
