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.
Technically speaking, we aren’t done with the 2020 recruiting cycle. There is an entire signing day still to come. Yet with only two spots remaining for Nebraska, there are no glaring needs unfilled. We could see a serious shift for the Huskers to put the focus on 2021 after the dead period ends. This is the more ideal situation for a staff. It is helpful to have your 2020 group locked up so you can move to future classes even earlier.
The situation also shows the dynamic of the two signing periods now. Based on the number of prospects available, it is unwise to wait until February to fill needs.
Let’s take a look ahead to some key questions for the 2021 recruiting cycle for the Huskers.
How well can Nebraska close the borders?
The Huskers are off to a great start in the class of 2021. They have locked up the commitment of 4-star offensive tackle Teddy Prochazka. The Elkhorn South star will give Nebraska three straight years of an elite tackle prospect coming into the program.
There are other big fish in the state too. Omaha Westside cornerback Avante Dickerson is a national recruit. He released a top three of LSU, Nebraska and Ohio State. It will be a battle to land him but he already has built a good relationship with the staff.
Wide receiver Keagan Johnson is definitely a player to watch. The Bellevue West standout announced himself to the recruiting world with his stellar play throughout last season that included an undefeated state title run. He holds an offer from Nebraska but competition will be stiff for the Husker legacy.
One of the more intriguing players in the state for this cycle is Creighton Prep athlete AJ Rollins. He received an early offer from Nebraska. Rollins could play tight end or outside linebacker at the collegiate level.
There are bound to be other players in the state that pop up once camp season gets rolling and next season starts up. Omaha Roncali lineman Nolan Gorczyca and Elkhorn South lineman Isaac Zatechka will be two players whose developments will be monitored closely.
The class of 2021 is shaping up to be quite the group in the state.
Will the Iowa invasion materialize?
We don’t have to travel far to start thinking about another key question for this class. Since Scott Frost took over the program, the team has been steadily making in-roads into Iowa. Defensive end Mosai Newsom signed with the Huskers in the 2019 recruiting class. This cycle outside linebacker Blaise Gunnerson is headed to Lincoln. The class of 2021 is where the Huskers want to make big noise and could be poised to do so.
They already have a great start with an early commitment from mauling offensive lineman Henry Lutovsky. Here is a look at the other uncommitted prospects Nebraska has offered from the state.
- 4-star OLB TJ Bollers
- 4-star TE Thomas Fidone
- 3-star WR Brody Brecht
- 3-star DE Jeffrey Bowie
- 3-star LB Seth Malcom
All the prospects listed have visited Nebraska multiple times over the last two seasons. Also, offensive linemen Dodge Sauser and Tyler Maro have visited Lincoln. They have yet to receive offers. The Huskers will want to get many of these players back on campus for Junior Day next month.
The battle for the signature from these prospects will be fierce. The Hawkeyes have dominated top level in-state recruiting historically. But Matt Campbell has given Iowa State a lot of juice on the trail. A lot of other regional and some national schools are offering these guys as well. With the amount of talent in Iowa, it was a great time for Iowa native Erik Chinander to come to Nebraska.
Recruit Watch
>> Huskers 2021 offensive line commit Henry Lutovsky has been throwing some weight around during his winter break.
365×6 pic.twitter.com/vztAgDBm5x
— Henry Lutovsky I ⁵⁹ (@Luto_72) December 27, 2019
>> Huskers signee Eteva Mauga-Clements picked up a big honor over the weekend.
The blessings keep coming for our humble Warrior! Congratulations to Va, being selected 1st team JC All-American!!! pic.twitter.com/yOsH3Qss60
— Mike Darr (@DVC_CoachDarr) December 26, 2019
>> Charles Montgomery, a 4-star 2021 wide receiver from Florida, has the Huskers in his top 5.
Happy Birthday Grandma ❤️ #Top5 pic.twitter.com/vofoJj09ol
— Charles "Chuck" Montgomery (@iam_CharlesM3) December 20, 2019
ICYMI
>> As part of our year in review series (Premium), we looked at two more key components to Nebraska improving in 2020: stopping the run and better tackling.
>> Derek Peterson took a look at the available space on some Huskers’ bandwagon for the 2020 season.
>> In Jacob Padilla’s volleyball position reviews, he took a look into the specialists for the Huskers.
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.
