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.
We are now 10 days away from the 2020 Nebraska football season kicking off. It’s been a long winding road to get here but it is close to happening. This year’s team is pretty young overall. It features a lot of younger players that could play key roles this season.
Now is the time that Scott Frost’s first full class, the 2019 signing class, could really make an impact. Thinking back to that 2019 class here is what Frost said about the group during his signing day press conference.
"I feel great about the guys we signed,” Frost said. “You'll probably get tired of hearing me say this, but I not only feel good about the type of player we brought in, I feel great about the type of kid that we're bringing in, in this class. I had the privilege of going around, stopping at all these guys' homes, meeting their families and talking to the kids all through December, and what kept making an impression on me was the type of character of the kids chosen to become part of our family at Nebraska.
"I think this is a special group in a lot of ways. But the type of individuals that they are was really impressive to me."
We know that wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson is already a proven commodity from this group. He could very well be one of the breakout stars around the country this season. For the purposes of this discussion he will be excluded. Dedrick Mills was also in that recruiting class. As the featured back heading into the season he doesn’t count either. There are several other players from this class who we haven’t seen as much of on the field. They could be big players for the team this season.
There are three players who fit the bill here. Of all the players we could discuss, offensive lineman Bryce Benhart is the only one who has a starting position virtually locked up. He will be the starting right tackle this season barring injury. The big question is will he be ready for primetime right away as a redshirt freshman in the Big Ten. I would not count him out.
Defensive lineman Ty Robinson has generated consistent preseason buzz this offseason. Fellow players and his coaches rave about his rapid development as a player. The Arizona native will be counted on this season. He might even start at defensive end. The battle Nebraska fought to land Robinson was fierce. It’s not a surprise that he would be making a move quickly up the depth chart.
The last player I have to mention is quarterback Luke McCaffrey. If he ends up winning the starting quarterback job he vaults right to the top of this list. By all accounts he’s had a great fall camp. There are still lingering questions about how real the quarterback competition is. Frost kicked the door wide open on the idea that McCaffrey is doing enough to win the job.
If you made me pick one player from that three to breakout this season, I’d pick Benhart. I feel pretty comfortable saying that I believe he will feel like a veteran player out there from game one. It will be a huge compliment to him if we start to not even notice he’s out there but he does his job.
There are a few other players from that 2019 group that could carve out roles this season. Outside linebacker Garrett Nelson will be in the mix. Cornerback Quinton Newsome and safety Myles Farmer have earned lots of praise too. Before we know it that 2019 recruiting class will be the engine powering the Huskers. It feels like this season will give us the first glimpse into how it will go when they take over.
Recruit Watch
>> Oscar Delp, a 2022 athlete from Georgia, will be playing in the 2022 Under Armour All-America game.
Blessed is an understatement. I am very honored and humbled to announce that I have been invited and am COMMITTED to the 2022 Under Armour All-America game @DemetricDWarren @Hayesfawcett3 @ChadSimmons_ @Mansell247 @SWiltfong247 @recruits_west @DaveSvehla pic.twitter.com/PJPpeIOTQV
— Oscar Delp (@DelpOscar) October 14, 2020
>> Mehki Flowers, who is the No. 1 wideout for the 2022 cycle, has released defensive highlights and they are impressive too.
6’2 194 pound hybrid on defense… can line up ANYWHERE !!! Mid season defensive highlights are now out , tune in.. https://t.co/vTM553oZU5 👿 pic.twitter.com/mRHBmJaeK9
— Official Mehki Flowers (@Thelandlord2003) October 14, 2020
>> Defensive line target Mandela Tobin showed off a cool edit that the Huskers did for him.
#GBR🔴⚪🌽 pic.twitter.com/ffzKnaAN3D
— Mandela Tobin🇳🇬 WeMatter (@MandelaTobin) October 13, 2020
>> Papillion-La Vista 2022 wideout Tyson Money is ready to get back on the field with his teammates soon after being in quarantine.
I just wanna be back on the football field…missing my bro’s a lot rn💯❤️@PLVfootball @yanojones @GregSmithHV @PapioStrength @willhubert_ @kaden_johnson04 pic.twitter.com/RdfeR035v8
— ™️⚡️ (@TysonMoney3) October 14, 2020
ICYMI
>> Finally, football. The October 2020 issue of Hail Varsity Magazine is out this week.
>> College football offenses are soaring so far this season, so what will the Huskers’ look like? Derek Peterson takes a look into it.
>> In his latest Padding the Stats column Jacob Padilla parses quotes and Nebraska’s QB competition.
>> Cam Taylor-Britt is feeling comfortable at cornerback as he gets ready for his junior season.
>> The Mind Your Own podcast is back to tackle the question of ‘what even is this’.
>> The Hail Varsity team is back to answer your questions in the mailbag with a heavy slant towards the quarterback battle.