OurDecay's 2004 Targets: Defense

This listing is only a limited group of our overall prospects. This isn't going to be on the level of major services or websites, but I'm hoping for quality. A photo is worth a thousand words. And after only following recruiting for a few years it has become obvious just how impersonal this process can become. We can get fixated on testing numbers and measurables (often self-reported and/or inflated), and start to worry more about the number of "stars" a kid gets than what is best for him. We live and die by the decisions of often-confused 18 year olds, and then have the gall to lash out when they don't go where we want them to. I think it is important to remember that there is a face and a person behind the name on the database.

1) Who are coaches are rumored to think our top targets are at each position; and

Disclaimer: All commentary on prospects below has been collected from various sources of varying accuracy and should not be taken as gospel, nor do they necessarily represent the views of NU's coaches or of recruiting services. Please treat as speculation and rumor only. Thanks.

Given the upheaval in the coaching staff following the Colorado game, it is difficult to predict how it will effect recruiting...particularly on the offensive side of the ball. However, one of Frank Solich's most concerning and persistent problems was his lack of enthusiasm with recruiting. While not a bad recruiter per se (actually pretty decent one-on-one), his lack of attention to detail, long lapses in making contact with players, and policy to effectively put a hold on recruiting during the season had as much to do with his firing as anything. This approach was certainly not enjoyed by Pedersen, who knows a thing or two about recruiting great athletes effectively. From all indications Scott Downing had been doing a fine job thus far in coordinating prospects, and he and Pedersen have a very good understanding of one another. Hopefully with Solich out of the way, the recruiting can truly start in earnest.

This is a position that has been devoid of a consistent playmaker for a number of years. While we have even had some solid players and pro prospects at the position (Chris Kelsay, Kyle Vandenbosch), during their time at NU they never reached a consistently dominant or All-American level that we had grown accustomed to in the Osborne era. Recruiting-wise, you would think NU would have some tangible assets in their pocket: a strong history of All-Americans at the DE/OLB position, a currently favorable reputation of our DEs in the NFL (Wistrom, Rucker, Vandenbosch and now Kelsay), and all the benefits of having former NFL players and coaches on the coaching staff. The wildcard to this position now is that it is under new management (Jeff Jamrog), so it will be interesting to see if that has any effects on both recruiting and performance of defensive ends. Reportedly Bo Pelini's system will feature quite different roles (and body types) for the two DEs.

NAME: Calais Cambpell

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO MIAMI (FL) (as TE). Highest-targeted DE by NU staff. Good chance for NU. A 4-star player by Rivals. Ranked as the #14 weakside DE in the nation.

HEIGHT: 6'-7"

WEIGHT: 225 lbs

SPEED: 4.8 sec.

HOMETOWN: Denver (South), CO (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 114 tackles, 19 sacks

NOTES: Offered by most top schools, but not by CU strangely enough. Update: Big news here - we are in his final three along with Miami and Colorado St. We have been in constant contact and have made serious headway here. This would be a great pickup!

OTHER OFFERS: Miami, Michigan, KSU, Michigan St, Oregon, Colorado St

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Brigham Harwell

CATEGORY: Second-highest targeted DE by NU staff. Unknown chance for NU. A 4-star player by Rivals (#88 Overall Player in Rivals Top 100).

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 245 lbs

SPEED: 4.7 sec.

HOMETOWN: Hacienda Heights (Los Altos), CA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 92 tackles, 25 sacks, 1 INT, 3 FR

NOTES: Sack machine. Not freakin' likely.

OTHER OFFERS: USC, UCLA, KSU, Oklahoma, CU, Arizona St, Oregon, Oregon St

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Jeff Schweiger, Jr.

CATEGORY: Third-highest targeted QB by NU staff. Probably not a realistic prospect (well, maybe he is...read below). A 4-star player by Rivals (#30 Overall Player in Rivals Top 100).

HEIGHT: 6'-5"

WEIGHT: 245 lbs

SPEED: 4.6

HOMETOWN: San Jose (Valley Christian), CA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 138 tackles, 13 sacks, 4 PBU, 3 FR

NOTES: Considered by many the top pure DE in the country. The 40-time is considered legit. Update: NU has sort of dropped the ball on their recruitment of Jeff since they offered, with very little follow-up. Rumor has it that Schweiger bases his workouts after a NU model and early on had NU as the favorite. Perhaps a renewed push from our coaching staff could land us a top-30 overall player, and at a NEED position no less??? Update 2: In his latest updates he says Nebraska has been contacting him the most. Maybe too little, too late. Update 3 (11.11.03): Not surprisingly, we did not make his Top-5.

OTHER OFFERS: USC, UCLA, OU, CU, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Washington

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Dan Davis

CATEGORY: Fourth-highest targeted DE by NU staff. Realistic Prospect. Projected as a 3-star player by Rivals

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 247 lbs

SPEED: 4.68 sec. (at Athletes-Edge combine in Virginia. Also ran a 4.5 shuttle, 4.89e 40 time)

HOMETOWN: Plainfield, NJ (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 132 tackles, 30 TFL, 12 sacks

NOTES: Very good chance to get a commitment here. Loves Coach Williams. We seem to have created a bridge into the East Coast, especially New Jersey. Update: has not been officially offered by NU yet. We will be sending people to his first two games. Update 2: Has now been offered, but strangely now our stock has dropped to 2nd behind Virginia? A very hard person to read for interviewers, and it's not clear just how many real offers he has. We may be diverting our attention to other players too. Update 3 (11.11.03): We are still on the radar with him, as he continues to love Jimmy Williams. Virginia is still probably the leader here, but we are probably a close second. Davis, Bowers, and Gunheim are probably the three DEs we are focusing on at this point.

OTHER OFFERS: Georgia, Virginia, Syracuse, Rutgers, Maryland

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Rhyan Anderson

CATEGORY: Fifth-Highest targeted DE by NU staff. A marginally realistic prospect. A 4-star player by Rivals (#43 Overall Player in Rivals Top 100).

HEIGHT: 6'-6"

WEIGHT: 265 lbs

SPEED: 4.65

HOMETOWN: Oak Creek, WI (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 80 tackles, 21 sacks

NOTES: Hotly-pursued prospect, with Miami and the Oklahoma in the lead. Update: Don't listen to what Crabby says about this player. And no, we aren't out of it yet.

OTHER OFFERS: Miami, OU, Wisconsin, Vanderbilt, CU

PICTURES: (None found yet)

NAME: Nathan Peterson

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO OKLAHOMA ST. Sixth-highest targeted DE by NU staff. A projected 4-star player by Rivals.

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 235 lbs

SPEED: Unknown.

HOMETOWN: Tulsa (Union), OK (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: Unknown

NOTES: An early commit to OSU. Offered by most top teams.

OTHER OFFERS: OU, Tennessee, Texas A&M, CU, CSU, KSU, Okie St

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Thomas Herring

CATEGORY: Seventh-highest targeted DE by NU staff. No chance. A 5-star player by Rivals (#19 Overall Player in Rivals Top 100).

HEIGHT: 6'-6"

WEIGHT: 292 lbs

SPEED: 4.87

HOMETOWN: Los Angeles (Fremont), CA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: (approx.) 100 tackles, 10 sacks

NOTES: Remarkable speed for the size. An amazing athlete that could play as a 300-lbs DE or DT. The sky is the limit on his ability.

OTHER OFFERS: Miami, USC, UCLA, OU, Notre Dame, Washington, Arizona St, Oregon

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

Others:

NAME: Ty Steinkuhler

CATEGORY: COMMITTED. Realistic prospect, but big surprise. Projected as a 1- or 2-star player by Rivals.

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 235 lbs

SPEED: 5.06 (electronic at NU camp)

HOMETOWN: Lincoln (Southwest), NE (Class A)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 140 tackles

NOTES: Son of former Husker All-American and Outland Award winner Dean Steinkuhler. Was dominant from the defensive end spot last year on an 0-9 team in their first year of existence. Superior motor and overcame double-teams all season to register 15 tackles/game from the DE spot. Could possibly grow into a DT or even an OL. Pelini didn't just okay the offer, but insisted on it. No other offers at the time of commitment.

OTHER OFFERS: None.

PICTURES: (None found yet. Pictures are available to view at the Lincoln Journal-Star's website)

NAME: Clayton Sievers

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO NU. Newly-targeted DE prospect by NU staff. Realistic prospect, but no longer the slam dunk we thought he was. Ranked a 3-star player (OLB) by Rivals (#25 ranked OLB by Rivals).

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 220 lbs

SPEED: 4.75

HOMETOWN: Elkhorn, NE (Class B)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 65 tackles

NOTES: Brother of current MLB Chad Sievers. Good athleticism for his size. Was almost reported as an NU commit in mid-July, but now is seriously considering offer from Iowa after unofficial visit there. Current talk is that Husker coaches are rather ambivalent about which way he goes. We may back off if guys like Campbell start to look likely. Update 2 (11.10.03): Clay committed on 10/28/03, after waiting a long time to decide. His athleticism he showed at camp is encouraging, but there has been some mixed reviews about his work ethic and ability over the course of his senior year. His ability to play OLB, DE or even TE probably contributed to him getting the offer.

OTHER OFFERS: Iowa, Wyoming, Colorado St

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Grayson Gunheim (NEW TARGET)

CATEGORY: Newly-targeted DE prospect by NU staff. Surprisingly realistic prospect. Ranked a 3-star player (ATH) by Rivals (#17 ranked ATH by Rivals).

HEIGHT: 6'-6"

WEIGHT: 240 lbs

SPEED: 4.49

HOMETOWN: Sebastopol (Analy), CA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Rush: 1400 yards, 17 TD; Rec: 11 catch, 260 yards, 2 TD

NOTES: (11.11.03) Take a look at the measurables. My first instinct is to seriously question them. But then I look at the offers....pretty much the whole Pac-10 (including USC), and you have to think they are somewhat legitimate. We seem to have been very near the front of his list all along, and we are his first visit (November 15th, KSU game). He has recently named his top 6, which after us includes Oregon, Oregon St., USC, Stanford and Washington. We have a good shot here if we can sell him and his farther on their visit...teams like Ohio State and others from around the country are starting to find this kid from the small school in Northern California.

OTHER OFFERS: USC, Oregon, Oregon St, Stanford, Washington, Cal, Washington St., Colorado

PICTURES: (none found yet)

NAME: Chris Bowers (NEW TARGET)

CATEGORY: Newly-targeted DE prospect by NU staff. Fairly realistic prospect. Ranked a 3-star player (WDE) by Rivals (#17 ranked weakside DE by Rivals).

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 240 lbs

SPEED: 4.7

HOMETOWN: Shreveport (Evangel), LA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 100 tackles, 30 TFL, 18 sacks

NOTES: (11.11.03) Chris is an excellent player with good numbers and good intelligence, who comes from a prep powerhouse known for top QB prospects. He has narrowed his list to a final four: Ole Miss, Nebraska, Stanford and Texas Tech. He has already visited Ole Miss and Texas Tech, and it is likely that his visit to Nebraska (November 15th, KSU game) will be his last. He appeared to be under whelmed with his visit to Texas Tech, and while the Ole Miss trip was better we could realistically grab a commit from him on or after his visit.

OTHER OFFERS: Texas, LSU, Colorado, Texas Tech, Stanford, Ole Miss

PICTURES: (From Rivals.com)

Guys to forget about (either no interest from NU, no interest from player, or both):

Alan Davis (Colleyville, TX) - 4-star DE from same high school as 2003 class signee J.B. Phillips. Our stock has dropped with him, with OU and LSU in the lead. May make a charge later. Update (11.11.03): COMMITTED TO OU.

Defensive Tackles

Updated: 8/26/03

For any defense to be successful, and particularly the 4-3, you need to have a couple of maulers in the middle. In the mid-90s, NU reaped the benefits of having dominant DTs. Not only does it stuff inside running plays, but pressure up the middle is a great way to help out your secondary and linebackers. Depending on how much teaching our DTs will be getting from the coaching staff, it might be nice to have players come in with some basic techniques and pass-rushing skills. We are currently very deep at this position, but top DTs will always have a place on our roster.

NAME: Franklin Okam

CATEGORY: Highest-targeted DT by NU staff. Not a realistic prospect. A 5-star player by Rivals (#20 Overall Player in Rivals Top 100).

HEIGHT: 6'-5"

WEIGHT: 295 lbs

SPEED: 4.9

HOMETOWN: Lake Highlands, TX (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 65 tackles, 15 TFL

NOTES: Big-time DT prospect, would seem likely to stay in the South, probably in-state.

OTHER OFFERS: Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, LSU, KSU, CU

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Xavier Fulton

CATEGORY: Second-highest targeted DT by NU staff. A fairly realistic prospect. Projected as a 3-star by Rivals.

HEIGHT: 6'-5"

WEIGHT: 270 lbs

SPEED: 5.0

HOMETOWN: Homewood (Flossmoor), IL (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 49 tackles, 5 sacks

NOTES: Seems like a guy we could have a good chance with. Coach Jamrog has been very active in the state of Illinois over the past couple of years.

OTHER OFFERS: Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Glen Davis

CATEGORY: Third-highest targeted DT by NU staff. Not a realistic prospect. A 4-star player by Rivals (#51 Overall Player in Rivals Top 100).

HEIGHT: 6'-8"

WEIGHT: 345 lbs

SPEED: 5.0

HOMETOWN: Baton Rouge (University Lab), LA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: Unknown.

NOTES: A mammoth human being. Not offered by many, but the quality of the offers is very, very good. Likely to stay in-state. Also recruited to play basketball. Likely to play both sports in college. Update: Going to announce soon - based on basketball prospects (top power forward in nation). Needless to say, NU is not in the picture.

OTHER OFFERS: LSU, Miami, Okie St., North Carolina

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Dorrel Scott

CATEGORY: Fourth-highest targeted DT by NU staff. A marginally realistic prospect. A projected 3- or 4-star player by Rivals.

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 295 lbs

SPEED: 5.2

HOMETOWN: Columbia (Ridge View), SC (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 89 tackles, 10 TFL, 5 sacks, 5 FR

NOTES: For the second year in a row we are hitting South Carolina harder and are after more players there, especially in Columbia. Looks likely to stay at the home town school but you never know.

OTHER OFFERS: South Car., Iowa, Clemson

PICTURES: (None found yet. There is one available on steven's fantastic site at: http://community-2.webtv.net/aakj/NEBRASKARECRUITING/page5.html)

Update:

NAME: Marlon Favorite

CATEGORY: New targeted DT by NU staff. Maybe not a realistic prospect, but we are definitely on the short-list. A 4-star player by Rivals (#13 Ranked DT).

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 310 lbs

SPEED: 4.8

HOMETOWN: Harvey (West Jefferson), LA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 100 tackles

NOTES: A bad man. Had some very nice things to say about NU, although his clear top two are CU and LSU. The rest of the top 5 are NU, USC and UCLA.

OTHER OFFERS: LSU, CU, UCLA, USC

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Neil Brown (NEW TARGET)

CATEGORY: Newly-targeted DT prospect by NU staff. Realistic prospect. Ranked a 2-star player (DT) by Rivals (NR by Rivals).

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 255 lbs

SPEED: 4.84

HOMETOWN: Buford, GA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 134 tackles, 16 TFL, 5 sacks

NOTES: (11.11.03) Neil is a teammate of now-distant RB target Darius Walker. Has more offers than you would expect from only a "2-star" player. Obviously athletic (see picture below), he is said to be very quick and active. He has us and Vanderbilt in the lead. He is scheduled to visit NU on January 16th, and will probably make it. Our chances are good here. He is being recruited by Coach Jamrog, which may be a problem if coaching changes take place.

OTHER OFFERS: Florida, BYU, Michigan St, Miss St, UCF, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, Arkansas

PICTURES: (From Rivals.com)

Outside Linebackers

Updated: 11/11/03

Since their switch to the 4-3, NU's defense has been designed around the weakside linebacker being the assigned playmaker of the squad. In years where we've had top-level playmakers at the position (Terrell Farley, Jamel Williams, Eric Johnson, etc.) it has had a ripple-effect on how our defense performs. While both outside linebacker positions were important before, rumor has it that in Pelini's system both OLBs will have more similar duties, and both will be required to have a minimum level of athleticism in order to be effective. With a premium on speed, and a very shallow depth chart with senior starters at both spots, the time is now to sign 1-2 big-time outside linebackers with the right balance of athleticism and attitude. A signee from last year's class (Steve Craver) could eventually find his way to Lincoln in this capacity as well.

NAME: Rory Johnson

CATEGORY: Highest targeted OLB by NU staff. No longer a realistic prospect. Ranked a 4-star player by Rivals (#9 ranked OLB by Rivals).

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 215 lbs

SPEED: 4.38 sec. (at Auburn Nike Camp)

HOMETOWN: Vicksburg, MS (???)

STATS: (Sr) Def: 75 tackles, 30 TFL, 10 sacks (in 9 games)

(Jr) DEF: 96 tackles, 10 sacks, 5 forced fumbles

(Jr - Track) 100m: 11.24 sec (6th in state); 200m: 22.92 sec (6th in state)

(So) DEF: 85 tackles, 7 sacks, 3 forced fumbles

NOTES: Incredibly fast linebacker prospect. NU was second on his list currently (behind LSU). Our coaches have been contacting him non-stop. Update: Not likely to leave state. Update 2 (08.26.03): NU out of the running. Update 3 (11.11.03): Who really knows? We are certainly pushing the effort forward here, and with Demorrio Williams's on-field success and a vacancy in the depth chart at WLB, we might still be attractive. He supposedly has a top-3 of LSU, Southern Miss and Tennessee (depending on which team's recruiting writers you listen to), but he is set to take only three visits: Southern Miss (he already took for the NU game), LSU, and Nebraska. Rory tore his ACL on 11/07/03 and will soon be starting rehab. With his amazing speed and potential I would imagine NU would continue to push hard here in the hopes that LSU would back off. Chances are low, but you never know.

OTHER OFFERS: LSU, Ole Miss, Miss St, Southern Miss, West Virginia

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Dan Connor

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO PENN STATE. Second-highest targeted OLB by NU staff. Not a realistic prospect. A 5-star player by Rivals (#17 Overall Player in Rivals Top 100)..

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 215 lbs

SPEED: 4.55

HOMETOWN: Wallingford (Strath Haven), PA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 170 tackles, 3 INT

NOTES: Has narrowed down to top four schools, and NU is not among them. This year's hot LB prospect from Big Ten country. A tackling machine and also a great fullback prospect.

OTHER OFFERS: Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio St, Oklahoma

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Chris Patterson

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO OKLAHOMA. Third-highest targeted OLB by NU staff. Not at all a realistic prospect, but again shows our coaches seem to be in line with the thinking of other heavyweights. A 5-star player by Rivals (#23 Overall Player in Rivals Top 100).

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 220 lbs

SPEED: 4.5

HOMETOWN: Chicago (Hubbard), IL (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 106 tackles, 13 sacks, 2 INT

NOTES: A big-time national prospect. We have no shot, especially not when he's a heavy OU lean. Still, good to know we can recognize talent.

OTHER OFFERS: OU, Miami, USC, KSU, Illinois, Penn St

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Kyle Williams

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO IOWA. Fourth-highest targeted OLB by NU staff. NO CHANCE. A 5-star player by Rivals (#12 Overall Player in Rivals Top 100).

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 217 lbs

SPEED: 4.57 sec

HOMETOWN: Bolingbrook, IL (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 88 tackles, 6 sacks, ,7 INT, 2 FR

NOTES: Explosive and fast difference-maker at linebacker. Would be a major coup for Jamrog, Pelini and Williams if we could pull this one out. Iowa currently is in the lead.

OTHER OFFERS: Iowa, Miami, Oklahoma, Ohio St, USC, UCLA, Penn St

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Eugene Germany

CATEGORY: Fifth-highest targeted OLB by NU staff. No chance. Projected as a 4-star player by Rivals.

HEIGHT: 6'-4"

WEIGHT: 250 lbs

SPEED: 4.65

HOMETOWN: Pomona (Pomona) CA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 166 tackles, 9 sacks

NOTES: Has already narrowed down his list of schools to four. NU is not among them.

OTHER OFFERS: LSU, Tennessee, USC, UCLA, CU, Michigan, Oregon, Oregon St.

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

Others:

NAME: Michael Keenan

CATEGORY: COMMITTED. Very realistic prospect, mostly because we offered early. No rating yet by Rivals. Probable 3- or 4-star player.

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 220 lbs

SPEED: 4.62 sec. (electronic at NU camp, along with 4.22 sec. electronic shuttle)

HOMETOWN: Kansas City (Oak Park), MO (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: Unknown

NOTES: Extremely athletic player who has owned the top performances in all events at every camp he's attended (NU, KSU, KU). Nebraska quickly offered when it became apparent how talented he was. Probably beat KSU and MU to the punch. Great pickup for team needing athletic OLBs.

OTHER OFFERS: KSU, MU, KU

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Maurice McClellan

CATEGORY: COMMITTED. Very realistic prospect. No rating by Rivals (wasn't even in database until he committed).

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 210 lbs

SPEED: 4.5 sec

HOMETOWN: Norwich (Stonington), CT (???)

STATS: (Jr) 100 tackles, 6 INTs (played safety)

NOTES: This commit should be credited to two people: Coaches Downing and Williams. As a sophomore, McClellan was a target of the Purdue coaching staff (under the direction of Downing). Meanwhile, Williams continues to impress with his ability to connect with players and parents. Maurice's father is a huge Husker fan and was only too happy to give him the blessing on the commitment. The more we learn about Maurice, the better he sounds. He was considered by some to be the top player in all of New England last year. A good running back too, he could play either safety or OLB at NU. Soon after we showed interest, more bigger name schools offered, but it was too late for them.

OTHER OFFERS: Purdue, Syracuse, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Penn St, CU

PICTURES: (from the Norwich Bulletin online)

NAME: Rodney Gallon

CATEGORY: New targeted OLB by NU staff. Would seem to have little to no chance, but don't be so sure - watch closely. A 4-star player by Rivals and their #8 OLB in the nation.

HEIGHT: 6'-0"

WEIGHT: 210 lbs

SPEED: 4.5

HOMETOWN: Tallahassee (Lincoln), FL (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 106 tackles

NOTES: We'll see just how good Pelini is at recruiting here. There may be some things over the course of the recruiting season that might sway Gallon to be interested in NU. As to his football ability, his offers speak for themselves. Update (11.11.03): Ironically, of the four players from Tallahassee that we were pursuing, Rodney started out as the least-likely prospect. Now, he is probably the most-likely. Unfortunately, this is more a result of Muy and Manning cooling on NU than Gallon getting more interested in us. Rodney will be visiting NU along with his other three teammates on December 12th. We need to hope for a bit of a miracle here. His final six: FSU, Florida, Nebraska, Miami (FL), Auburn, Tennessee. Miami has not offered yet.

OTHER OFFERS: FSU, Florida, Auburn, LSU, Tennessee, Iowa St, Alabama, North Carolina

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

Middle Linebackers

Updated: 11/11/03

The situation is critical at this position. Depth has been decimated by injuries and transfers, and we are currently relying on a walk-on freshman (albeit a talented one) to play a key backup role. NU has struck out on recent targets at this position in the last few years, with players like Mike D'Andrea (Ohio State), Buster Davis (FSU), and Lance Broadus (Oregon) all teetering on the brink of commitment to the Big Red only to break our hearts in the end. With the presence of a former NFL LB coach as the D.C., and a former NFL player (and African-American) as a position coach, the stage would appear to be set for NU to finally land that elusive star MLB. The situation has become dire enough that we probably need at least two at this position.

NAME: Keith Rivers

CATEGORY: Highest-targeted MLB by NU staff. No chance. A 5-star player by Rivals (#3 Overall Player in Rivals Top 100, #1 Player in Florida per Rivals).

HEIGHT: 6'-4"

WEIGHT: 213 lbs

SPEED: 4.5

HOMETOWN: Lake Mary, FL (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 160 tackles, 11 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 INT

NOTES: Super blue chip player. Not in the running. Favors Miami and USC. Update: We already had no chance, and we must have now written him off, as we have pretty much ceased contact. This is just more time we can focus on realistic targets. Oddly enough he did mention that he had noticed our signings of two LBs already (Keenan, Brandenburgh) and that had an impact. Sounds like an excuse or a nice way of saying 'not interested'.

OTHER OFFERS: Miami, UCLA, FSU, Florida, Michigan, USC, Georgia, Oklahoma

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Brian Toal

CATEGORY: Second-highest targeted MLB by NU staff. A marginally realistic prospect. A 5-star player by Rivals (#24 Overall Player in Rivals Top 100).

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 228 lbs

SPEED: 4.4

HOMETOWN: Ramsey (Don Bosco Prep), NJ (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 112 tackles, 13 sacks, 3 FR

NOTES: Coach Williams and the presence of Jammal Lord and Joe Dailey have started re-opening the New Jersey pipeline. We have a fair shot with this top prospect. Update (08.06.03): We have been dropped from his list.

OTHER OFFERS: Miami, Notre Dame, Penn St, Iowa, Virginia Tech, Boston College

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Lance Brandenburgh

CATEGORY: COMMITTED. Third-highest targeted MLB by NU staff. Very realistic prospect. Projected as a 3-star by Rivals.

HEIGHT: 6'-1"

WEIGHT: 215 lbs

SPEED: 4.74 sec (ran a 4.9 electronic at NU camp along with a 29.5" VJ)

HOMETOWN: Overland Park (St. Thomas Aquinas), KS (5A)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 193 tackles*, 7 sacks, 1 INT

(So) Def: 155 tackles*

* Broke school record

NOTES: Possible early NU commit. Tough inside linebacker, also pursued by KSU. Incredibly productive. Very smart (4.0 GPA, 26 ACT) player, with good athleticism. Update: has a nose for the ball and making plays. Appears similar in athleticism and instincts to Barrett Ruud. Played in the second-largest class in Kansas and has broken the school record for tackles in each of the last two years. Was born in York, NE and has plenty of family in the state.

OTHER OFFERS: UCLA, KSU, KU, CU, Stanford

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Matt Stoltz

CATEGORY: Fourth-highest targeted MLB by NU staff. A realistic prospect. Projected as a 3- or 4-star by Rivals.

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 230 lbs

SPEED: 4.6

HOMETOWN: Little Rock (Pulaski Academy), AR (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 103 tackles, 11 TFL, 4 sacks, 3 FF, 3 FR

NOTES: Solid prospect with many offers. Update (11.11.03): We have not made his final list.

OTHER OFFERS: Arkansas, Tennessee, LSU, Iowa, Virginia, North Carolina, Okie St

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Marcus Freeman

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO OHIO STATE. Fifth-highest targeted MLB by NU staff. Not a realistic prospect. A 4-star player by Rivals (#44 Overall Player in Rivals Top 100).

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 240 lbs

SPEED: 4.6 sec

HOMETOWN: Huber Heights (Wayne), OH (Div.1)

STATS: (Jr) DEF: 152 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, 8 sacks

NOTES: Not currently in his top listing per Rivals, but we are exploiting the Pelini angle in hopes of snaring him. From all indications a bad man.

OTHER OFFERS: Ohio St, Notre Dame, Florida, Michigan, Oklahoma, USC

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

Others:

NAME: Vernon Smith

CATEGORY: No chance for NU. A 4-star player by Rivals (#68 Overall Player in Rivals Top 100).

HEIGHT: 6'-1"

WEIGHT: 219 lbs

SPEED: 4.6 sec.

HOMETOWN: Ft. Lauderdale (North Lauderdale Academy), FL (1A)

STATS: (Jr) DEF: 95 tackles, 8 sacks, 2 INT, 2 forced fumbles

NOTES: One of Rivals' top five overall players in the country. Top linebacker prospect in the nation. Oklahoma leads.

OTHER OFFERS: OU, Miami, Florida, Auburn, Michigan, Ohio State

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

Guys to forget about (either no interest from NU, no interest from player, or both):

Alan Darlin (Elk Grove, CA) - Was kind of a second-tier target for us, we may be now looking for some stars after grabbing 3 LBs already.

Cornerbacks

Updated: 11/11/03

NU signed three cornerbacks, including one junior-college player, in this last class alone in the hopes of finding quality depth and speed for this position. Unlike most positions, cornerback is one where a true freshman can successfully contribute immediately (see Ralph Brown, 1996; Fabian Washington, 2002). With the Big XII home to a laundry list of NFL draft choices at WR, a premium has almost certainly been placed by our coaches on landing fast, shut-down CBs. One of the biggest holes on the entire team this coming season is the CB position opposite Washington. It needs to continue to be addressed.

NAME: Tedd Ginn, Jr.

CATEGORY: Highest-targeted CB by NU staff. Not a realistic prospect. A 5-star player by Rivals (#4 Overall Player in Rivals Top 100).

HEIGHT: 6'-0"

WEIGHT: 170 lbs

SPEED: 4.4 sec. (reportedly ran a 4.28 at the Ohio State Nike camp)

HOMETOWN: Cleveland (Glenville), OH (Div.1)

STATS: (Jr) DEF: 42 tackles, 3 sacks, 10 INT, 5 FR

NOTES: Voted by Rivals as one of the top-5 overall players in the country. NU is in his top-5. Update (11.11.03): We have not made his top-6, which is hardly a surprise.

OTHER OFFERS: FSU, Miami, Ohio State, Michigan, Oklahoma, USC, Pittsburgh

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Cortney Grixby

CATEGORY: Second-highest targeted CB by NU staff. Extremely realistic prospect. A 4-star player by Rivals (#95 Overall Player in Rivals Top 100). Ranked as #5 CB in the nation.

HEIGHT: 5'-9"

WEIGHT: 165 lbs

SPEED: 4.52 sec. (electronic at NU camp; also posted 36" VJ and 4.25 pro-agility)

HOMETOWN: Omaha (Central), NE (Class A)

STATS: No DEF available

NOTES: A phenomenal two-sport athlete. Absolutely demolished in testing at Nebraska's camp. Scored in the top-5 among the country on multiple tests. A national-level recruit. Update: Expected to decide schools (and between basketball and football) in the next couple of weeks. Update 2 (11.11.03): Still undecided. Takes his official visit to NU on November 15th (KSU game). Cortney has been a tough kid to get a read on - clearly the move of VT to the ACC intrigued him (at least briefly) with the possibility of playing basketball in that high-exposure conference. Now expected to decide before Chrismas, and most think that Nebraska leads but Iowa will present a tough challenge.