The focus on recruiting Texas continues this week as Nebraska assistant coaches remain on the road. Wide receiver coach Garrett McGuire and tight end coach Bob Wager made stops and calls throughout the Lone Star State already this month, offering scholarships along the way.
So far, Nebraska has extended 66 scholarship offers to 2024 recruits in Texas. That’s twice as much as Georgia, with the second-most received offers (33). Among 2025 recruits, Nebraska has offered 31 standouts from Texas. The closest state to that mark is Missouri with 10. Of the 22 total offers to 2026 recruits, six are to Texans (the most of any state). All of those tallies increased within the last week as the Husker coaching staff hit the recruiting trail.
Let’s focus on the 2024 recruits and where Nebraska stands with them. Keep in mind, half of Nebraska’s six-person 2024 class as of now features Texans (Roger Gradney, Ian Flynt and Gibson Pyle).
At the top is Mr. Texas Football, Terry Bussey. The 4-star athlete from Timpson is a national top-50 recruit after nearly doing it all. Bussey threw for 2,177 yards and 26 touchdowns, ran for 2,596 yards and 46 touchdowns, and made 115 tackles and five interceptions last season. Four of those interceptions, as well as three kickoff returns and one punt return, went back the other way for touchdowns. The two-time district overall MVP has Nebraska in his final list of schools alongside LSU, Alabama, Texas A&M and others. The multi-sport athlete hasn’t announced his summer plans yet regarding camps and visits.
Nebraska also made the top 11 of 5-star cornerback Kobe Black from Waco Connally. He’s a national top-25 recruit and considered one of the top five corner recruits in the country. In two seasons he’s made 77 tackles, 16 PBUs, two TFLs and two interceptions, both returned for touchdowns. Texas high school football scouts praise his body control and athleticism, especially when coupled with his arm length and size (6 foot). With visits to LSU and Texas confirmed this summer, a scheduled visit to Nebraska might not be far out.
Waco Connally ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ CB Kobe Black skies for a TD at the McLennan County 7v7. @lilkb2xx | #txhsfb pic.twitter.com/vPmlB2Ubks
— Greg Powers 🏟️ (@GPowersScout) May 6, 2023
Four-star safety Peyton Morgan from Pfluegerville Weiss is scheduled to take an official visit to Nebraska early next month. He made 85 tackles and five interceptions in nine games last season. Morgan’s also competed at track meets in the 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, long jump, triple jump and high jump. He qualified for state as a sophomore (last year) in the 110 hurdles, triple jump and long jump.
Nebraska is also closely linked to 4-star corner Mario Buford and 3-star offensive tackle Coen Echols. Buford is a national top-320 recruit and younger brother of Husker safety Marques Buford Jr. He told Greg Powers of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football back in January, not long after winning the state championship, Nebraska stayed in contact with him the most. Michigan State emerged as a potential destination as well and Buford is scheduled to visit East Lansing in June. The DeSoto standout earned defensive back MVP honors at the All-22 camp in Eugene, Oregon earlier this month. He wants to make a decision before his senior season. Echols, named team captain during this spring season, will visit Nebraska this summer.
Recruit Watch
The Huskers added a few more name to the list of Texans with offers already this week. South Oak Cliff 2025 4-star linebacker Jayden Shelton received an offer from Nebraska. He made 56 tackles last season. Dallas Skyline 2025 4-star linebacker Elijah Barnes also announced an offer. He’s the reigning district newcomer of the year and ran a wind-legal 11.27 in the 100 already this spring.
Nebraska’s also recruiting high school standouts beyond Texas. The Huskers extended new scholarship offers in recent days. Lawrence, Massachusetts, 2025 3-star quarterback Blake Hebert received an offer. He’s a 6-foot-3 pro-style quarterback. Nebraska also recently offered 2025 4-star offensive tackle Andrew Babaloa from Blue Valley Northwest in Overland Park, Kansas. The 6-foot-6, 270-pounder and the No. 6 offensive tackle in the 2025 class right now squatted 415 pounds earlier today. Another lineman, 2025 4-star defensive lineman Jaylen Williams from Palatine, Illinois, gained an offer. He’s a national top-200 recruit at the moment. Josiah Kia, a 3-star 2025 linebacker from Honolulu Punahou, also picked up an offer.
Nebraska offer this morning. Squats 415 in the afternoon! #PULLtheSLED https://t.co/APichKqLkL pic.twitter.com/8WnCFOmqlr
— Clint Rider (@CoachClintRider) May 9, 2023
Nebraska also offered 2026 running back Deshonne Redeaux from Oaks Christian in Westlake Village, California. He ran a 10.5 100 earlier this spring and received offers from Alabama, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Oregon recently.
ICYMI
>> The Big Ten Softball Tournament begins tomorrow and the Huskers have a bye. Nebraska awaits the winner of Illinois and Wisconsin in a scheduled 7 p.m. first pitch with a chip on their shoulder. Check out the latest episode of Behind The Plate, Hail Varsity’s softball podcast, to stay informed.
>> Big-bat Maryland blew out the Nebraska baseball team on Sunday to secure a series win. That loss to No. 23 Maryland forces the Huskers to regroup ahead of a meeting in Omaha with Creighton tonight. The two are scheduled to complete the suspended game from last month before the 7 p.m. start.
>> The latest episode of The Eye Test, a Hail Varsity podcast, released earlier today. Former Nebraska pipeline member and NFL lineman Dr. Rob Zatechka joined Hail Varsity staff photographer Eric Francis and writer Brady Oltmans to discuss culture and physicality within football.
