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’s been an eventful stretch of time for the Huskers on the recruiting trail. Nebraska picked up four commitments for the 2021 recruiting class in the month of July. The class started building in the trenches but te skill positions have been well represented lately. Of the last four commits for 2021, three have been defensive backs and one is a wide receiver. Last week the Huskers even added a late 2020 addition when Nadab Joseph—the No. 1 junior college cornerback in that class—announced his commitment.
With all that activity, what’s up next for Nebraska on the recruiting trail? That answer isn’t so straightforward. It does feel like the team is due for a slowdown on the pace of commitments. With 14 commitments for the 2021 class, the team is in good shape right now. To my knowledge, there aren’t any imminent commitments. Given Coach Scott Frost’s history of pulling off surprise commitments, you can never say never though.
One big factor for the next few weeks is what decision the NCAA will make about the dead period and when that could be announced. Each Power 5 conference has its hands full right now putting together plans for being able to play a season. The NCAA probably wants to wait until closer to the end of August to make any formal decisions about on-campus recruiting. That could give more time to see if things change with the virus.
There is something else to consider. It will create a logistical nightmare to set up official visits for the first game of the season if the NCAA waits too close to the first games to decide. It’s a tough spot either way.
Until that whole situation is figured out about visits, Nebraska (and a lot of schools) are in a holding pattern. That decision by the NCAA could cause the next big wave of commitments. Until there is clarity on that, what should the Huskers be focusing on?
Making big progress with their top defensive line targets is key. There are still quality, uncommitted known targets on the defensive line. As always, there are more prospects that they are communicating with that are not known now. The Huskers need to get on the board with Tony Tuioti’s group for the 2021 class.
One big silver lining is showcase camps are popping up around the country. Recruiters have more to evaluate prospects on. That’s good for the players and the schools. For now, I think we will see a lot of behind the scenes work being done by the Huskers’ recruiting staff. At the same time the team will keep gearing up for the 2020 football season.
Recruit Watch
>> Rising 2022 tight end from Georgia Jack Nickel committed to Notre Dame on Monday evening.
100% Committed to The University of Notre Dame!! Go Irish!! ☘️☘️ @CoachBrianKelly @CoachJ_Mc @T_Rees11 @BrianPolian pic.twitter.com/77zIETilLp
— Jack Nickel (@JackNickel86) July 27, 2020
>> Priority Missouri 2022 wideout target Quinton Conley posted some highlights from the Showcase camp in Kansas City last weekend.
Thanks to coach @SAMIEPARKER and @CoachMRI for the showcase held this past weekend and thanks to everyone who took the time to come to watch. pic.twitter.com/nea3uEPqHU
— Quinton Conley (@quinton_conley) July 28, 2020
>> Nebraska 2022 quarterback target Gavin Wimsatt picked up another Big Ten offer when Maryland joined the fray on Tuesday.
Blessed to Receive an Offer from The University of Maryland🖤@jokerphillips @TerpsFootball @SrHighFootball pic.twitter.com/CX64xU6MIr
— Gavin Wimsatt (@GavinWimsatt) July 28, 2020
>> California defensive end target Mandela Tobin is up next in the fishing contest the Husker recruits have going on this cycle.
Had a fun time fishing for the first time with one of my best friends, Justin and his older brother, John! Beautiful night! pic.twitter.com/ojoiASkzkr
— Mandela Tobin🇳🇬 (@MandelaTobin) July 28, 2020
ICYMI
>> Nebraska 2022 offensive line target Deshawn Woods spoke with Hail Varsity (Premium) about his recruitment and is building a strong relationship with the Huskers.
>> Jacob Padilla is here to give you a Husker hoops refresher (Premium) as Nebraska’s offseason workouts begin.
>> Let’s take a look at Nebraska’s quarterback situation and focus on the present with Derek Peterson.
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.
