Voting Criteria: Player's importance to the team in 2020, overall talent, and future potential for the upcoming season. A player's long-term/NFL prospects were not taken into consideration.
Voting Panel: Publisher Sean Callahan, HuskerOnline.com writers Robin Washut and Nate Clouse, KETV Sports Director Andy Kendeigh, and Mike'l Severe, Co-Host of Severe and Benning the Morning on 1620 The Zone.
25. Kade Warner, WR, Jr.
After breaking onto the scene with a solid redshirt freshman campaign in 2018, Kade Warner was sidelined by injury for the first four games of last season. However, he soon picked up right where he left off to end the year.
Warner ended up starting five of the final seven games of 2019 and caught eight passes for a career-high 101 yards, with an average of 12.6 yards per reception.
Though he's still a walk-on, Warner has established himself as one of the most proven and consistent pieces in Nebraska's wide receiver room entering this season. There's no reason to believe he won't continue that on into 2020.
24. Alante Brown, WR, Fr.
Nebraska will likely be leaning heavily upon its four-man 2020 wide receiver class this season, and one of the top contenders to make the biggest immediate impact is Alante Brown.
After playing four years as a quarterback at Chicago Simeon High School and verbally committing to Texas Tech, Brown opted to play a year of prep school at St. Thomas More Prep in Connecticut and moved to receiver.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Brown brings dynamic playmaking ability to an NU receiving corps that is wide-open going into the fall.
23. Garrett Nelson, OLB, So.
Former Scottsbluff (NE) standout Garrett Nelson quickly became an in-state fan favorite last season as a true freshman, and now his role should be significantly bigger in 2020.
Nelson played in 11 of 12 games (missing one because of an illness) and finished with 15 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. He had two stops behind the line of scrimmage vs. Minnesota and then had a career-high five stops against Iowa.
Husker fans and NU coaches loved Nelson's endless energy and passion for the game, and now a year older, stronger, and more experienced, he should have a prominent place in the outside linebacker rotation this season.
22. Luke McCaffrey, QB, RFr.
No player had a bigger discrepancy in our rankings that redshirt freshman quarterback Luke McCaffrey, and that kind of sums up his outlook for 2020.
On one hand, McCaffrey is expected to go into the season as the No. 2 behind two-year starter Adrian Martinez. However, that role is hardly carved in stone.
Given Martinez's injury history and McCaffrey's impressive showings in limited playing time last year, it's easy to see the former Highlands Ranch (CO) Valor Christian star getting on the field early and often this season.
If Martinez struggles or has to miss time to injury, it will be very interesting to see how quickly head coach Scott Frost will be to turn to his exciting young signal caller.
21. Caleb Tannor, OLB, Jr.
It's no secret that Nebraska's defense is absolutely desperate for a dominant edge rusher, something it hasn't had since Randy Gregory left town.
Right now, Caleb Tannor looks to be the closest thing the Huskers have to that going into 2020.
The Stone Mountain, Ga., native started the first four games of last season before splitting time with Nelson to end the year. He finished with 17 tackles, three TFLs, and 2.5 sacks.
But the Huskers need more from its pass rush, and if Tannor can reach his full potential, it could provide an invaluable lift to the entire defense.
