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.
Every college team wants places they can consider a “pipeline area.” Certain schools do very well recruiting the same area repeatedly. Those areas do not have to be in your state. There is no better example of this than what Alabama has done with recruiting Miami under Nick Saban.
There is an area for the Huskers on the horizon. Coach Scott Frost and his program are hoping to turn it into a dependable area for the program. Kansas City has continued pumping out Division I prospects yearly. This has been building over the year but the 2022 class seems to be the biggest group of talent yet. Last June former Husker Michael Rose-Ivey told me about how the talent was exploding in the area.
“I think Kansas City is getting kind of a little bit of a hotbed for recruiting,” Rose-Ivey said. “Especially for these Midwest schools plus the Big Ten, Big 12 and even the MAC schools as well. We are really just trying to find a way to get these kids everything they need in order to be successful at getting to the next level. Then also excelling at the next level.”
Eight players in Kansas City or the Kansas City suburbs hold offers from Nebraska for the 2022 class. There are several that Nebraska is in the mix with currently. Wide receivers Quinton Conley and Jason Essex are two of Nebraska’s top wideout targets. Conley has been to Nebraska several times already. He has a great relationship with the Nebraska staff.
There are also a few defensive targets the Huskers are big factors with from the area. Defensive tackles Jalen Marshall and Domonique Orange have been coveted by the program. Both have been in frequent contact with the program. There is a newer name on the radar of Husker fans. Outside linebacker prospect Ikenna Ezeogu. He’s from Blue Springs, Missouri, just outside of Kansas City. Ezeogu is an emerging prospect with pass rush skills off the edge.
We’ve talked for years about the need for the Huskers to get into St. Louis because of how much talent is in that area. The Huskers have not been able to gain traction there. It might be a better idea to shift resources and time to the Kansas City metro. There is a history there recently. Carlos and Khalil Davis, Maliek Collins, Freedom Akinmoladun and Rose-Ivey excelled at Nebraska.
Kansas City is on the rise and it would be smart for Frost to get in on the ground level as he rebuilds this program.
Recruit Watch
>> Ohio 2022 offensive lineman Ryan Baer was offered by the Huskers.
After a great phone call with @GregAustin2717 I am blessed to announce that I have earned an offer from The University of Nebraska. @ENRangerfootbal @NEB_Recruiting @HuskerFBNation pic.twitter.com/meh88HNP0l
— Ryan Baer (@RyanBaer2003) March 10, 2021
>> Husker outside linebacker target Popeye Williams was invited to the Under Armour camp series.
Truly blessed by @DemetricDWarren to be invited to the UA Camp Series in Ohio. Ready to compete against top talent in the Midwest. @TheUCReport @SWiltfong247 @CraigHaubert @JoshHelmholdt pic.twitter.com/ia6joWaF6t
— Popeye Williams (@Popeye2022) March 11, 2021
>> Colorado 2022 offensive lineman Jake Maikkula was offered a scholarship by the Huskers on Wednesday.
I am very excited and grateful to have received an offer to play football at the University of Nebraska! A big thank you to @GregAustin2717! Go Cornhuskers! @HuskerFBNation @CoachLubick @coach_frost @SeanDillonNU @donnieyantis @GoValorFootball #GBR #Huskers #NebraskaFootball pic.twitter.com/qFwHIUxHEE
— Jake Maikkula (@JakeMaikkula) March 10, 2021
ICYMI
>> In the latest Mind Your Own podcast Erin Sorensen and Sausha Durkan discuss how to do the work in honor of International Women’s Day.
>> Nebraska women’s basketball pushed No. 1 Maryland to the brink but ultimately lost in the Big Ten Tournament.
>> The Huskers went cold and bowed out of the Big Ten Tournament with a loss to Penn State.
>> Jaxon Hallmark has been the spark the Huskers needed on the diamond so far this 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.
