1/22/2022 football Edit

Nebraska offers 2023 in-state lineman Sam Sledge on Saturday

Sean Callahan • InsideNebraska

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Sean Callahan has worked with Rivals.com since 2000, and has been the Publisher of HuskerOnline since 2007. He also reports for KETV Channel 7 in Omaha, NET's Big Red Wrap-Up and KFAB Radio in Omaha.

The Sledge last name is one familiar in the history books to Nebraska football fans.

Bob Sledge was an All-Big Eight left tackle for the Huskers that started in both 1987 and 1988. Fast forward to 2022, Sledge's son Sam Sledge is a standout offensive lineman at Omaha (Neb.) Creighton Prep high school.

He has started for the Junior Jays since his freshman year, making him the first-ever freshman to start in Creighton Prep school history. That is a very impressive feat, considering the history and tradition of the Junior Jay program.

2023 Creighton Prep offensive lineman Sam Sledge.

Sledge was one of around 25 prospects at NU's Junior Day event on Saturday, and he left the event with a scholarship offer from head coach Scott Frost.

"I really wasn't expecting an offer," Sam Sledge said. "I was talking to coach (Donovan) Raiola the whole day and then he pulled in his office. It was pretty awesome."

Last summer Sledge picked up his first offer heading into his junior season after the Mega Camp in St. Louis from Miami of Ohio.

Several other teams were evaluating the 6-foot-4, 265-pound Sledge closely, including the Huskers. He envisions himself as an interior offensive lineman at the next level.

"(Nebraska) said they were going to (offer) earlier, but they just wanted to make sure I got to meet Coach Raiola," Sledge said. "They wanted for him to get into his spot, and then they offered me today."

Saturday was the first time Sledge had the chance to meet Raiola, and he walked away with a very favorable impression.

"He's a great dude," Sledge said of Raiola. "He's a great coach. I learned some of his philosophy already, and I like all of it so far. I really liked what he was teaching us."

As for a timeline, Sledge said he hasn't given it much thought on when he would like to wrap up his recruiting process.

Next weekend he will visit Kansas. He's also talked with Minnesota, Iowa, Iowa State, Northwestern and Kansas State.

"I am still going to probably take some more trips to see and feel it out more," Sledge said. "I guess we'll see what happens after that. I want to see more schools and talk to more coaches. I'll decide when the time is right.

"I like all of the schools in this area, but it's pretty cool to have the Nebraska offer."