Each week HuskerOnline is going to bring you a look on a side of the football with their latest Big Board.
This week we bring you the offensive board as the Huskers work their way through official visitors, summer campers, unofficial visitors and recruits coming in for private, individual workouts.
Quarterback (1):
Richard Torres – San Antonio, TX (Nebraska commit) (Official visit to Nebraska – June 4)
==================================================================
QB thoughts – No changes here. Huskers get their man at QB.
Early Look Future QB Big Board:
2023 Recruit: Reese Mooney - Denham Springs, LA (Spring Game visitor)
2024 Recruit: Dylan Raiola - Burleson, TX (Friday Night Lights camp)
Running Back (1):
Ashton Hayes – Reno, NV (Nebraska commit) (Official visit to Nebraska – June 11)
==================================================================
RB thoughts – Justin Williams comes off the board and goes to West Virginia. I really don’t think, despite what some may have wished, that Nebraska could have taken two running backs in this class. It’s a bit tragic in some ways as JW is a great talent. I will talk more about JW moving up his decision in the summary.
Early Look Future RB Big Board:
2023 Recruit: John Randle Jr. - Wichita, KS
2024 Recruit: No known offers at this time
Wide Receiver (2):
Victor Jones – Orlando, FL (Nebraska commit) (Official visit to Nebraska – September)
Grant Page – Boulder, CO (Nebraska commit) (Spring Game visitor) (Official visit to Nebraska – June 11)
==================================================================
WR thoughts – Landon Samson comes off the board to South Carolina and, if I had to bet, this will be the way the class finishes for Nebraska at this spot. Kind of an odd fit if you ask me. Samson just isn't a South Carolina/SEC style of receiver. I have reduced the number of spots here from 2-3 to just 2.
Early Look Future WR Big Board:
2023 Recruit: Shelton Sampson - Baton Rouge, LA (Spring Game visitor)
2024 Recruit: Davevonn Hall - Bellevue, NE (Friday Night Lights camp)
Tight End (1):
Chase Androff – Lakeville, MN (Nebraska commit) (Official visit to Nebraska – June 4)
TE thoughts – The Huskers canceled on Austin Terry and Gabe Burkle because they got their man with Androff.
Early Look TE Big Board:
2023 Recruit: Ben Brahmer - Pierce, NE (Nebraska commit) (Spring Game visitor) (Friday Night Lights camp)
2024 Recruit: No known offers at this time
Offensive Line (2-3):
1. (OC) John Pastore – Erie, CO (Individual Workout – June 4) (Nebraska camp – June 19)
2. (OG/OT) Valen Erickson – Chicago, IL (Spring Game visitor) (Official visit to Nebraska – June 4)
3. (OC/OG/OT) Jake Maikkula – Highlands Ranch, CO (Spring Game visitor) (Official visit to Nebraska – June 21)
==================================================================
Dropped off:
(OG/OT) Ashton Craig – Lawrenceburg, IN (Official visit to Nebraska – June 4)
(OG) D.J. Moore – Fort Wayne, IN
(OT) Lucas Heyer – Maplewood, MN (Spring Game visitor)
(OT) Braden Miller – Centennial, CO
==================================================================
OL thoughts – Woof…what a difference two weeks made here, but not for the better. I thought that I was doing the smart thing breaking out center, interior and outside linemen but now Nebraska really has just three remaining prospects. I would also offer up that I think Nebraska’s class here will likely be just two (reduced it from 3 to 2-3).
Since coming off of vacation, I have had a chance to reach out to Pastore and Maikkula. Both still say Nebraska is in the picture, but they included that all of the other schools are as well. I am thinking they are Plan B on some other schools’ boards that are slow-playing them right now. I have to think this will end abruptly because, as other offensive linemen begin to commit around the country to other schools, the game of musical chairs will end and someone is going to be left standing when the music stops.
If things really go south here for Nebraska, though, and two or more of the remaining big board targets commit elsewhere, there are two options: 1.) spread the extra spots around and get some best remaining guys at other positions or 2.) extend additional offers.
There are some guys who could pick up offers like Henry Rickels. I have a new name that I am waiting to see if he can stay healthy and what kind of senior season he can put together. Watch Nate Raymond from Bellevue West.
Early Look OL Future Big Board:
2023 Recruit: Gunnar Gottula - Lincoln, NE (Nebraska commit) (Spring Game visitor) (Friday Night Lights camp), Cayden Green - Lee's Summit, MO (Spring practice visitor) and Kadyn Proctor - Pleasant Hill, IA
2024 Recruit: No known offers at this time
Summary – If you recall, Williams said that he was going to take his visits and make a decision after his senior season. Last I knew, that would have been around Thanksgiving or possibly even early December if he’s lucky and his team is making a long playoff run.
But look at the power of Covid, the super-seniors, and generally schools not having the room they normally would in other years. Williams accelerated his decision by over four months to get his spot in a class. And while guys like Williams needed to jump into a class, the offensive line position has a number of recruits being patient.
I expect that things will start to wrap up at positions like offensive line sooner before later, too. Simply put, time is not on the recruits’ side. If they want to sit on their offers and wait until fall to take official visits, they had better understand who has taken official visits already, who are the other guys at their positions that a school is recruiting, and what are the numbers looking like for that school at their spot and in the entire class.
There are some real pressure points coming. And maybe some salt for the wound, but it seemed clear for me typing up this list and looking at the remaining offensive line prospects, that this was a terrible year for Nebraska to have as many players determined to leave the state as there were.
Look around at offensive line commits specifically. Guys stayed home or they went to neighboring states. There aren’t many guys from the east coast who went west or vice versa. This really stood out to me.
