1/22/2022 football Edit

Huskers land UNI defensive back transfer Omar Brown

Nebraska picked up its 17th mid-year roster addition for 2022 in Northern Iowa defensive back transfer Omar Brown. (USA Today)

Sean Callahan & Robin Washut

Staff

Though much of its 2022 roster had already taken shape, Nebraska hit the transfer portal again with the addition of Northern Iowa defensive back Omar Brown.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound junior from Minneapolis gave his commitment to the Huskers on Saturday and confirmed the news to HuskerOnline.

"Everything kind of happened super fast since I entered the portal late," Brown told HuskerOnline on Saturday. "Obviously schools and coaches have been hitting me up, but I think what kind of made the decision for me was not being too far away from home, but not being too close. I get to play on a bigger stage in front of more people.

"One of my former teammates Chris (Kolarevic) is up there and he got in touch with me. Then I got in contact with Coach (Travis) Fisher and I liked everything he had to tell me. I know now I have to come in and compete, and I have no problem doing that. That's what makes the game fun."

A former two-star recruit out of Minneapolis North, Brown broke onto the scene as a true freshman at UNI in 2019. After racking up 77 tackles and six interceptions, he was named an AP third-team All-American and the FC Defensive Freshman of the Year.

Brown started all seven games for the Panthers’ in their shortened spring season in 2021, posting 30 tackles and five pass breakups to garner honorable mention All-Missouri Valley Conference honors.

This fall, he returned to action and played in seven games before suffering a season-ending injury.

Brown had 33 tackles before his injury, including eight against Iowa State, and was stilled named with the FCS All-American All-Sophomore Team and honorable mention All-MVC.

Contact between Brown and Nebraska heated up earlier this week, and he was listed in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln student directory on Friday.

"I can't really say all the teams that reached out," Brown said. "But I had a lot of schools in the Big Ten, some in the SEC - a lot of schools from every conference. I just had everything I needed here at Nebraska, so I just chose them."

Brown becomes NU’s 17th mid-year roster addition for the 2022 season. He will have three years to play two at NU and he confirmed he will be on full scholarship right away.

"I'm on full scholarship and I start school today," Brown said. "I have to get caught up now since I missed a week. I'm excited though about everything this opportunity brings."