Ethan Nation commits to Nebraska over offers from Georgia, Ohio State, Bama
Ethan Nation, a 2023 cornerback out of Rosewell (Ga.), has committed to Nebraska. Nation's decision gives the Huskers another pledge from a recruit with an absolutely loaded offer sheet.
Nation, a three-star prospect, holds approximately 50 offers, most notably from Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon and USC.
His offer list also includes Auburn, Colorado, Florida, LSU, Miami, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Utah and Wisconsin.
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He ultimately picked Nebraska over Auburn, Houston and Ohio State – the other three programs in his final four – because he sees a program on the rise that is being led in the right direction.
“I like how they are coming on the map because of their new coaching staff," Nation told Rivals' Ryan Wright. "They will have a lot of buzz on them because they are a professional staff going to the college level. That will be exciting to see how that plays out.”
Nation said that his decision was "really easy" when he compared everything.
“They flew me out, they showed me that they needed me and wanted me, and it was pretty simple for me," Nation said. "They showed me that they weren’t going to BS me. If I go there and put in the hard work, it's going to go off.”
Nation is the fourth defensive back commitment in the Huskers' 2023 class. He joins CBs Syncere Safeeullah and Dwight Bootle II and Philadelphia safety Rahmir Stewart, who held a similarly impressive offer sheet as Nation with offers from Alabama, Clemson and Georgia among over 30 offers.
The 5-foot-11, 165-pound Nation is ranked in the top 70 among Georgia's 2023 prospects and top 75 nationally among cornerbacks.
Nation's recruitment has been considered by some to be a bit of a wild card throughout the process in terms of where he would eventually land. No school had emerged in a major way from the pack over the last few months. That opened the door for secondary coach Evan Cooper, head coach Matt Rhule and the Huskers.
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Nebraska offered Nation on Dec. 16, and he immediately scheduled an official visit for the Dec. 16-18 weekend. Nation trains with Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn, who Cooper coached the past two seasons as the Panthers cornerbacks coach.
That's how Nation initially got on the Huskers' radar. He made the trip to Lincoln and built on what had become an instant connection with Cooper and the Husker staff. Those relationships became even stronger just before the early signing period.
“I usually ask people who have been coached by them previously," Nation said. "With Coach Rhule being with the Panthers, I trained with some guys that were with the Panthers. I picked their brains. I talked to JT (Ibe) about their coaching because Coach Rhule was with them and Coach Cooper, and their strength coach (Corey Campbell) was with the Panthers as well. I was just picking the brains of the professional guys to see how they deciphered them from the professional level to college.”