As we shift toward the traditional signing day, a high percentage of prospects are off the board having signed their letter of intent during the early signing period. Nebraska will still look to add players to the 2019 recruiting class after signing 23 prospects last week, though.
There are not a lot of needs on the offensive side of the football for Nebraska to finish off the cycle but there are a handful of players to keep an eye on.
3-star WR Charles Njoku
The pass-catcher from New Jersey has been the most heavily talked about uncommitted prospect on this list. He received a lot of attention from the staff during the contact period prior to the early signing period but it was known that he would hold off on signing early. The former Missouri commit would give the Huskers a body type (6-5, 200) they currently lack in the wide receiver room. There is a great chance he will take an official visit to Lincoln in January.
3-star RB John Bivens
The former 4-star running back from Ohio did not play during his senior season and elected to spend the entire year rehabbing a previous knee injury. The staff really liked his junior film and kept in contact with him during the season, which is why it wasn’t a total shock when Bivens announced he would be taking an official visit to Lincoln in January. Bivens has already been to Lincoln before. He came to Nebraska for the 2018 spring game. Running back could become a need if Dedrick Mills doesn’t make it to campus or if Nebraska just wants to add a “best available” type of player.
4-star WR Demariyon Houston
Houston has received a couple of visits from the staff so we know he is on their radar. The former Texas commit took an official visit to Minnesota just before the early signing period opened but remains on the board. An official visit has been discussed but will it actually happen? We will know more once the contact period opens back up in January.
3-star JUCO OL Desmond Bland
Bland is the only committed player on the list to watch and he’s obviously a current member of the class. However, unlike running back Dedrick Mills (who has through January with the junior college signing period), there is no chance for him to still sign with the Huskers before January. Can Bland be counted on as a member of the class? That’s the big question here. Not only will the staff need to continue monitoring his academics, but other schools could swoop in and push for a visit. His junior college also just ended football, so will he be working out at all prior to arriving at his new school? There is a lot of mystery still surrounding the situation with Bland.
3-star OL Jayme Simmons
Currently, there are not a lot of known backup options if Bland doesn’t make it to Lincoln. Nebraska did pick up a walk-on commitment from Josh Wegener from Iowa Western just in case that could help soften the blow. One prep player that has been linked to the Huskers throughout the process is Simmons, who stands at 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds. The Alabama native is still on the board and the staff could circle back to him if needed.
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.
