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.
It seems like there is so much talk about transfers these days. The Huskers have had their fair share leave the program under Coach Scott Frost so I can understand why. But for today, let’s talk about the other side of this coin. The transfer portal and explosion of grad transfers in college football has not just harmed Nebraska. It has benefited too.
The team has consistently been able to comb the portal to add players to the roster. Let’s take a look at who Nebraska has brought into the program via transfer over the last few years.
- WR Oliver Martin
- OG Nouredin Nouili
- OT Ezra Miller
- TE Jared Bubak
- LB Zach Schlager
- TE Travis Vokolek
- WR Kanawai Noa
- DT Darrion Daniels
If you think through those players, you end up with a good number of contributors on the field. A couple of them, specifically Nouili, just needs more time before he sees the field. Nebraska’s history of adding transfers under Frost is fairly strong. Nowadays in college football, making sure that you leave your program a spot or two for transfers is key. Frost mentioned the need to manage numbers last year at a press conference.
“We were making decisions on that clear up to last night and even this morning,” Frost said at the time. “Trying to decide how many NLIs [national letters of intent] to send out, where to send them, trying to decide which kids were in and which were out and how many spots we might want to hold over to the late signing period and beyond. We’re making those decisions right up to really this morning and there was a lot of balls in the air, but I’m really happy with our recruiting staff and our coaching staff with how they came through in the end.”
Let’s say the plan for the 2021 class is for Nebraska to have a spot or two for the portal. Which positions would make the most sense to look at?
Let’s get one spot out the way immediately. Every school in the country is looking for impact pass rushers to add to the defense. Nebraska will take a player that can get after the quarterback. If one becomes available and is interested Nebraska they will be open to that. Given what we’ve seen this year from the offense it would make sense to add a transfer at receiver. There are young players to be excited about but another veteran could be nice.
Running back could also make some sense. Nebraska is losing Dedrick Mills after this season so a graduate transfer makes sense. The argument could also be made that Nebraska looks to add a graduate transfer in the secondary. That would largely depend on how the coaches feel the young players in the room are progressing.
There are several spots that Nebraska could benefit from adding a transfer. That will make things a little more unpredictable to track who they are interested in. But there isn’t any doubt that Frost and company will try to add talent to the team anyway they can.
Recruit Watch
>> The Huskers offered 2024 Bellevue West wide receiver Dae’vonn Hall on Tuesday.
Blessed to say that I have received an offer from the University of Nebraska 🌽 #gohuskers pic.twitter.com/m0DIkuUTb6
— Dae’vonn Hall (@DaevonnHall) December 1, 2020
>> Mandela Tobin, a 2021 defensive line target, has a commitment date in mind.
I will for sure be committing this Friday on KUSI PPR at 8 am PT! Stay tuned!
— Mandela Tobin🇳🇬 WeMatter (@MandelaTobin) December 1, 2020
>> New Jersey 2022 outside linebacker Nyair Graham included the Huskers in his top five schools.
Top 5 AGTG🙏🏾#Weare#huskers#terps#Cuse#Canes pic.twitter.com/BdIuwskBhB
— Nyair Graham💫 (@NyairGlizzy) November 30, 2020
>> Big time 2022 Oklahoma athlete Gentry Williams has the Huskers in his top 10 filled with blue blood schools.
🔝1️⃣0️⃣ pic.twitter.com/QUSGypdlvU
— gentry williams (@gentrywilliams5) December 1, 2020
ICYMI
>> The latest episode of the Straight Up Breakdown podcast is here and Jay Foreman and I explain how the Huskers need to adjust on the fly.
>> Nebraska’s offensive coordinator Matt Lubick still sees the positives in Nebraska’s wideout room.
>> Nebraska native Nick Henrich has answered the call at both outside and inside linebacker according to Jacob Padilla.
>> The Huskers are getting young players ready while shorthanded at running back.
>> Nebraska expects to play both quarterbacks against Purdue this weekend. You can watch the Husker coordinators talk quarterbacks, bouncing back on defense and more.
