Players currently committed: 4-star LB Nick Henrich, 3-star LB Jackson Hannah, 3-star ATH Garrett Snodgrass
How we got here: For Scott Frost’s first recruiting class, Nebraska landed 4-star LB Caleb Tannor, 3-star JUCO LB Will Honas and 3-star LB David Alston. Tannor and Honas will be in the mix for early playing time from Day 1.
Hailing from Miller Grove High School in Lithonia, Georgia, Tannor is the prototype (6-3, 225) for the type of player that plays weakside defensive end in high school that end up playing hybrid outside linebacker in a 3-4 collegiate scheme. Early reports on him from fall camp have been very positive.
Honas is in a battle with junior linebacker Mo Barry to start in the middle of the Huskers’ 3-4 defense this fall. The most likely scenario is that both will contribute significantly to the team in 2018.
Recruiting at linebacker for the class of 2019 has gone very well, especially at inside linebacker. In June, Nashville native Jackson Hannah committed to the Huskers potentially giving them their first player from the state of Tennessee to sign with the team since defensive end Barry Turner signed back in the famous 2005 recruiting class. Hannah will likely go under the radar in this class due to the other player coming in at his position but he is a very good football player.
Nick Henrich represented a huge recruiting win for Nebraska when he announced he was joining the 2019 class in July. Not only is he the best player in the state of Nebraska, but he is one of the best inside linebacker prospects in the country. It was especially important for the new staff to land him to show they meant business about keeping the best talent home. Henrich is also a player that other guys can easily follow. Nebraska hopes to build its defense around him one day.
Where we go from here: Nebraska will want to add one more hybrid outside linebacker to the mix in the 2019 class. The problem right now is that it’s not clear on who that will be. Committed athlete Garrett Snodgrass from York, Nebraska, has potential at this spot. He is a do-everything player for his high school team but he was working with the inside linebacker group and Barrett Ruud at Friday Night Lights.
Keep in mind that Nebraska may also still be evaluating and changing needs based on what they see on the current roster. Tannor and Guy Thomas are freshmen. Pernell Jefferson and Breon Dixon are just sophomores, while Tyrin Ferguson is a junior. Targets at outside linebacker will reveal themselves when the season gets here and we see official visitors on campus. Expect to hear about a lot of new names after the dead period ends.
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.
