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.
The book has been closed on the 2022 recruiting class. There will likely be more transfer additions to the Huskers this summer. They won’t be in the 2022 class so it’s officially time to move on to the 2023 recruiting class.
The Huskers are well on their way with recruiting the next class. The team is off to a good start building the group. A trio of players are already verbally committed to the team. Pierce tight end Benjamin Brahmer was evaluated and recruited early by the team, as well as Lincoln Southeast offensive lineman Gunnar Gottula. The most recent addition to the 2023 class is Husker legacy Dwight Bootle. The defensive back will be a key peer recruiter for the team.
There are several storylines brewing for the next recruiting class.
The biggest storyline might be that in-state talent is still on the rise. Several players have gone on to play college football at the Power Five level in recent classes. The class of 2023 will have at least five players from Nebraska to do that. The Huskers already have two committed. Three more players have scholarship offers from the team. Elkhorn South defensive end Maverick Noonan plays a position of need and is a legacy. Creighton Prep offensive lineman Sam Sledge is a rising player in the state. Lincoln East athlete Malachi Coleman is one of the Huskers top overall targets for the cycle. There could also be another player or two that gain Husker offers along the way.
Something that goes hand in hand with the in-state talent for the 2023 class is the 500-mile radius talent. The Huskers spent time during the January contact period in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Iowa. That paid off for the Huskers by getting players from those states in for Junior Day visits. A slew of new scholarship offers also went out in those states. The two players that could be the Huskers’ top quarterbacks on the board, JJ Kohl and Avery Johnson, are from Iowa and Kansas. There are several key targets for the Huskers in each of these border states. Landing some would be very beneficial to the program long-term.
To land this talent, the Huskers assistant coaches will play a key role. Three coaches moving into new positions with the Huskers will have a large say in the direction of the class. Wide receivers coach Mickey Joseph and special teams coach Bill Busch hit the recruiting trail hard during January. Running backs coach Bryan Applewhite will lead the charge in Texas for the Huskers. We don’t know enough about offensive line coach Donovan Raiola’s ability to recruit. He doesn’t have the experience. The early reviews from recruits have been positive on him.
The Huskers had a strong close to the 2022 recruiting class. Prospects are still interested in the program. The team has to zero in on the right prospects and recruit them hard. It would be great for the Huskers chances at a good class if the team shows progress on the field. That would go a long way toward building trust with coaches are the message to recruits.
It’s going to be another interesting year of recruiting for the Huskers. It has the potential to be a bounce back class for the program if things break well.
Recruit Watch
>> On the baseball recruiting front, Nebraska picked up a commit in the 2024 class from Fargo.
Extremely blessed and excited to announce my commitment to the University of Nebraska to further my academic and baseball career! Thank you to everyone who helped me during this process! 🔴Go Big Red🔴 @Husker_Baseball pic.twitter.com/nIIjBO99kY
— Tommy Simon (@tommysimon01) February 9, 2022
ICYMI
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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.
