Isaac Gifford commitment: What does it mean for Nebraska?

The Huskers picked up yet another defender to its 2020 class on Monday with the addition of Isaac Gifford.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound outside linebacker/athlete out of Lincoln (Neb.) Southeast announced his commitment over social media on Monday afternoon after having landed a blue shirt offer from NU on Saturday. Gifford committed to the Big Red over offers from Oregon State, Wyoming, Air Force and several others.

Here are some quick takes on what the commitment of Gifford means for the Huskers.

1. Any time the Huskers can secure a commitment from one of the best players in the state it's a good thing for the program. Gifford was just too good for NU not to find a way to get him on campus. He comes from a good program at Lincoln Southeast and good stock as his older brother, Luke Gifford, was a very good Blackshirt for the Huskers.

2. I know it can sound kind of cliche, but I do believe playing for the Huskers is different for in-state kids. Especially for a Lincoln kid that has had family don the Scarlet and Cream and a Blackshirt as Gifford has. He'll be the type to do whatever he can to help the program. In fact, he already has shown that by accepting NU's blueshirt offer.

3. Gifford is an extremely good athlete. He got very good speed and is an explosive player. He ran in the low 4.5's in the 40-yard dash and had a 36-inch vertical jump at Nebraska's Friday Night Lights camp last summer and it translates to the football field. I believe if Gifford had been an inch or two taller he would have had double-digit Power 5 type of offers to his name. Regardless, his size and speed could allow him to make an early impact on special teams right away.

4. Gifford is a heck of an open field tackler. As a safety, he has cover skills, but he's at his best when he's reading the play and flying downhill to make a tackle.

5. I like the versatility Gifford has in terms of his skill set on defense. He's essentially a linebacker with the skills of a safety. The days of playing against a downhill rushing attack each week in the Big Ten are pretty much gone aside from Wisconsin and Iowa. Most teams are running some variation of the spread and having some hybrid defenders like Gifford should prove to be valuable.

6. Gifford was arguably the most physical player I saw in the state of Nebraska this past season. He's a well-built athlete that is not afraid to hit you and when he does ball carries stop in their tracks. That physical element to his game is something the Huskers can't have too much of on their roster.

7. I also really like what Gifford brings to the table off of the field. He's a warrior in the weight room and has been a leader at Southeast for several years. Gifford is a competitive kid that will be looking to make a name for himself and not be known as Luke Gifford's younger brother. To me, this is about as "low risk, high reward" of a commitment as the Huskers can get.

1. 7/26/2018 - Logan Smothers - QB - 6-foot-1, 180 - Athens, Ala. - 4 Stars

2. 4/3/2019 - Zavier Betts - WR - 6-foot-3, 190 - Bellevue, Neb. - 4 Stars

3. 4/13/2019 - Turner Corcoran - OT - 6-foot-6, 270 - Lawrence, Kan. - 4 Stars

4. 6/23/2019 - Tamon Lynum - CB - 6-foot-2, 177 - Orlando, Fla. - 3 Stars

5. 6/24/2019 - Alex Conn - OL - 6-foot-6, 275 - Derby, Kan. - 3 Stars

6. 6/29/2019 - Nash Hutmacher - DL - 6-foot-5, 305 - Chamberlain, S.D. - 3 Stars

7. 7/2/2019 - Blaise Gunnerson - OLB - 6-foot-5, 250 - Carroll, IA - 3 Stars

8. 7/8/2019 - Will Nixon - WR - 5-foot-11, 185 - Waco, TX - 3 Stars

9. 8/21/2019 - Sevion Morrison - RB - 6-foot, 190 - Tulsa, OK - 4 Stars

10. 8/24/2019 - Marvin Scott III - RB - 5-foot-9, 195 - Port Orange, FL - 3 Stars

11. 9/19/2019 - Henry Gray - CB - 6-foot-1, 185 - Miami, FL - 4 Stars

12. 10/8/2019 - Ronald Delancy - CB - 5-foot-11, 165 - Miami, FL - 3 Stars

13. 10/12/2019 - Marquis Black - DL - 6-foot-4, 280 - McDonough, GA - 3 Stars

14. 11/26/2019 - Junior Aho - OLB - 6-foot-3, 245 - Roswell, NM (France) - 2 Stars

15. 12/11/2019 - Eteva Mauga - ILB - 6-foot-2, 220 - Pleasant Hill, CA (Am. Samoa) - 4 Stars

16. 12/13/2019 - Omar Manning - WR - 6-foot-3, 215 - Kilgore (Texas) J.C. - 4 Stars

17. 12/15/2019 - Keyshawn Greene - ILB - 6-foot-2, 210 - Crawfordville, FL - 4 Stars

18. 12/15/2019 - Niko Cooper - OLB - 6-foot-4, 225 - Hutchinson, KS (Memphis, TN) - 3 Stars

19. 12/16/2019 - Jimari Butler - OLB - 6-foot-4, 210 - Mobile, AL - 3 Stars

20. 12/16/2019 - Isaac Gifford - ATH - 6-foot-1, 195 - Lincoln, NE - 3 Stars

1 - Quarterback

2 - Running back

3 - Wide receiver

0 - Tight end

2 - Offensive linemen

2 - Defensive tackle

0 - Defensive end

4 - Outside linebacker

2 - Inside linebacker

3- Defensive back

1 - Athlete

0 - Special teams

Florida - 5

Alabama - 2

Kansas - 2

Nebraska - 2

Texas - 2

American Samoa - 1

France - 1

Georgia - 1

Iowa - 1

Oklahoma - 1

South Dakota - 1

Tennessee - 1