DEFENSIVE POSITION:	NO. OF PROSPECTS LISTED:
Defensive Ends	6 (UPDATED 12/14/04)
Defensive Tackles	10 (UPDATED 12/14/04)
Outside Linebackers	14 (UPDATED 12/14/04)
Middle Linebackers	2 (UPDATED 10/19/04)
Cornerbacks	4 (UPDATED 11/8/04)
Safeties	4 (UPDATED 11/18/04)

 

Only a year ago, I was bemoaning our lack of recent playmakers in this space, and in particular our inability to get the most out of our DE recruits.  It would appear that those times have changed.  We have a charismatic new position coach with NFL experience coaching the position in town (John Blake) and suddenly our young group of 4 DEs looks very promising.  We only lose Benard Thomas in 2005, as sophomores Adam Carriker and Jay Moore look to complement super JUCO Wali Muhammad.  With a young core group of promising DEs, we will have some difficulty in grabbing a top-tier recruit, but with the carrot of playing for John Blake dangled in front of recruits, you just never know what will happen.

 

 

 

NAME:  Averell Spicer

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO USC (12/13/04). Realistic upper-tier DE prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #1 WDE, #36 in Rivals100, 4-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #1 DE, #18 in Top 100, 5-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #2 Strong DE, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #6 DE, #60 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 260 lbs

SPEED: 4.6 sec.

HOMETOWN: Rancho Cucamonga, CA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 34 UT, 13 sacks

NOTES: Averell was very impressed by his visit to NU, surprised actually, but I'm hearing that our sales performance will be all for naught here.  USC folks will tell you that he is already a lock to be a Trojan, but I have a hunch he ends up in Tallahassee.  I think NU finishes third for him. Scheduled NU visit: 9/3/04 (WIU).

OTHER OFFERS: USC, LSU, Florida St, Oklahoma, Michigan

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  McKinner Dixon

CATEGORY: *SOFT COMMIT TO TEXAS A&M ON 10/1/04* *SOFT COMMIT TO TEXAS TECH ON 10/22/04* Distant upper-tier DE prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #2 WDE, #53 in Rivals100, 4-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #10 WDE)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #12 DE, 4-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #5 Strong DE, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #19 DE

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 240 lbs

SPEED: 4.58 sec.

HOMETOWN: Lufkin, TX (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 79 tackles, 2 sacks

NOTES: This is a strange situation - not that he didn't commit to NU, but that he committed to a school he had never listed in interviews, and BEFORE he even visited!  Dixon is a very highly-touted player, so the Aggies would be wise to protect this verbal commitment closely.  As of 10/1/04, this commitment is considered unconfirmed, but for our purposes we'll call him a "soft" A&M commit.  I had heard talk, before he even committed, that his visit to NU was only to be a "courtesy" visit anyway...so this may just let us move on to different targets that much sooner. Scheduled NU visit: 12/17/04.

OTHER OFFERS: Miami (FL), Florida St, LSU, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas St, Texas Tech

PICTURES: (no pictures found)

 

 

 

NAME:  Will Powers

CATEGORY: Realistic Upper-tier DE prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #6 WDE, 4-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #11 DE, 4-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #7 Rush DE, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #18 DE

HEIGHT: 6'-4"

WEIGHT: 221 lbs

SPEED: 4.56 sec (at Stanford Nike Camp)

HOMETOWN: San Mateo (Serra), CA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: none available

NOTES: Some people predict that Powers will be one of our commits this year.  I'm honestly not too sure, but there is reason to believe that we have a good shot.  When I find out more here, I'll let you know.  Powers will definitely visit NU. Updated (10/28/04): Powers has named his top 5,  and it includes NU.

OTHER OFFERS: UCLA, Notre Dame, Stanford, Oregon, California

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  Barry Turner

CATEGORY: Fair Upper-tier DE prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #9 WDE, 4-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #11 WDE, 3-stars)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #32 DE, 3-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): Not listed

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #3 DE, #46 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 230 lbs

SPEED: 4.6 sec.

HOMETOWN: Nashville (Brentwood Academy), TN (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 15 sacks

NOTES: Remarkably, I've had one recruiting insider tell me that they think Turner ends up in Lincoln.  Given his offer list and location, that would be impressive and a little bit shocking.  I'm told he will definitely visit NU though, so you never know.  Scheduled NU visit: 10/14/04 (BU). Update (10/13/04): I expect big news from his visit.  I have a feeling we've been after Barry for some time, but keeping a low profile.  Per Rivals and Lemming, this is a big-time player.  Hopefully, he'll get the chance to be a big-time player at NU.  Update (12/14/04): I still feel he's destined to be a Husker, and haven't heard any reason to think otherwise.  Recruiting updates have ground to a halt since he visited NU, and he hasn't gone anywhere else.  Usually a good sign for NU.

OTHER OFFERS: Miami (FL), Tennessee, Florida, Colorado, Auburn, Virginia Tech, South Carolina

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  Zach Potter

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA (10/28/04). Very realistic upper-tier DE prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #6 SDE, 4-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #23 DE, 4-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #12 Blocking TE, 4.5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #17 DE

HEIGHT: 6'-7"

WEIGHT: 258 lbs

SPEED: 4.8 sec. (at Iowa Nike Camp)

HOMETOWN: Omaha (Creighton Prep), NE (A)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 13 TFL, 10 sacks, 12 PBU

NOTES: Zach is the only in-state player to have a confirmed full scholarship offer from NU.  Zach is a huge kid - every bit 6'-7" with a frame that has room to grow.  While some places project him as a TE and others as an OT, NU has him projected as a DE.  I think Zach is enjoying the recruiting game right now, but he is destined to be a Husker, barring an unforeseen miracle. Unofficial NU visit: 9/3/04 (WIU).  Updated (10/28/04): Zach has made his commitment official...big pick-up for NU!!!

OTHER OFFERS: Kansas St, Kansas, Notre Dame, Iowa

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

Defensive Tackles

Updated: 12/14/04

 

 

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.  Our depth is less than it was a year ago, but we have a very talented top-3 DTs that all return for at least next year.  This may be the flashiest recruiting position of the class: we have our top recruiter (Blake) going after serious top players at the position he also coaches.  We are truly swinging for the fences here.  I think our hope is that we find at least one great prospect, and plug him in as our 4th man in our rotation next year.  We won't turn down any of our top 5 targets at this position though.

 

 

 

NAME:  Jerrell Powe

CATEGORY: Fairly realistic upper-tier DT prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #1 DT, #2 in Rivals100, 5-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #3 DT, #40 in Top 100, 5-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #1 DT, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #3 DT, #16 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 322 lbs

SPEED: 4.8 sec.

HOMETOWN: Waynesboro (Wayne County), MS (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 74 tackles, 13 sacks, 3 PBU, 3 FR

NOTES: As should be clear by his rankings, Jerrell is a man-child.  His highlight reels are full of him driving two or sometimes three offensive linemen into the backfield.  He is big, strong, and quick...kind of like Casey Hampton was at UT in the late 1990s.  We have been rumored to be in his top-5, but we are his only favorite outside the South.  He was extremely impressed by his official to Auburn (they beat #3 LSU) and had nothing but great things to say...but he didn't commit.  I was shocked by this, as Auburn was his favorite going in.  It will be a nice step in the right direction to get him on a visit, because you never know what will happen then.  Update (10/13/04): Many people who follow recruiting consider Jerrell an Auburn "lock", but we got some unexpected good news today when it was reported that Powe has scheduled an official visit to NU.  It is on an off-week, like his other remaining visits, so that's a bit of a shame.  Scheduled NU visit: 11/20/04 (bye).  Updated (10/26/04): even better news.  Jerrell Powe has rescheduled his visit to a gameday.  Kind of a surprise, but you never know.  Scheduled NU visit: 10/29/04 (MU).  Updated (11/2/04): Jerrell didn't make this visit.  Update (12/14/04): Jerrell ran into some troubles in the locker room and the class room.  I believe NU may be helping place him in a junior college.

OTHER OFFERS: Auburn, LSU, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Miss St, West Virginia

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  Callahan Bright

CATEGORY: Realistic upper-tier DT prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #3 DT, #17 in Rivals100, 5-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #2 DT)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #1 DT, #2 in Top 100, 5-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #2 NT, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #1 DT, #1 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 315 lbs

SPEED: 5.12 sec. (at Charlottesville Nike Camp)

HOMETOWN: Bryn Mawr (Harriton), PA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 14 sacks

NOTES: We have had Bright targeted practically since Bill Callahan and staff arrived on campus.  There was a point before the season when we were actually listed as his leader.  Bright plays it close to the vest though, and appears to be tired of people asking about his favorites.  Though he claims otherwise, I wouldn't be surprised if he commits on one of his visits if the mood is right, just so he can get it over with.  I believe he is actually our #1 or #2 overall target, and has been for some time.  We have Coach Blake giving him lots of attention, but I'm unsure if it will be enough to get this premiere player.  USC insiders claim that he is a "silent" USC commit, but I just don't buy it.  I believe Bright will visit NU - anything else is pure speculation. Updated (10/28/04): There is some concern about him qualifying.  I believe USC has backed off because of this.  I would say it's likely he'll go the JUCO route.  Updated (11/18/04): The news I have known about for a while finally became official:  Callahan has been kicked out of school.

OTHER OFFERS: Miami (FL), Florida St, USC, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas A&M

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  James McKinney

CATEGORY: Realistic upper-tier DT prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #8 DT,  #99 in Rivals100, 4-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #9 DT)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #9 DT, #80 in Top 100, 4-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #6 DT, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #8 DE, #67 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 277 lbs

SPEED: 4.94 sec. (at Atlanta Nike Camp)

HOMETOWN: Louisville (Central), KY (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 70 UT, 20 AT, 20 TFL, 8 sacks

NOTES: McKinney was originally scheduled for a visit on 9/11/04 but rescheduled.  He quickly rescheduled, and any player you get an official visit from is at the very least "realistic".  I think we end up in his top three,  but whether or not he chooses NU will likely depend on how we do with some of our other targets. Scheduled NU visit: 11/26/04 (CU).  Update (10/17/04): It sounds like we have either dropped off here or have moved on to other targets.  Update (10/26/04): Not so fast.  Sounds like his visit date is pretty solid.  We'll see.  Update (12/14/04): I'm in shock about this...but according to his latest updates, he has Nebraska in the lead, and was unimpressed with his visit to Michigan.  We may steal one here!

OTHER OFFERS: Oklahoma, Ohio State, Michigan (decommitted), Tennessee, Clemson, Louisville, Kentucky

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  Ndamukong Suh

CATEGORY: Very realistic upper-tier DT prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #14 DT, 4-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #6 DT)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #6 DT, #49 in Top 100, 5-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #10 DT, 4.5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #5 OG, #77 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 6'-3.5"

WEIGHT: 278 lbs

SPEED: unknown

HOMETOWN: Portland (Grant), OR (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: unknown

NOTES: Okay, so I saw this guy in person for the KU game, and he is a monster.  He is every bit 6'-3.5", and looked bigger than 278 lbs.  He appeared to be having a great time too.  I believe this is our most realistic upper-tier DT target, and we have been on him early (along with Miami).  I think he ends up a Husker, and it would not surprise me at all if he committed (publically or privately) on his official visit to Nebraska. Scheduled NU visit: 10/1/04 (KU).  Updated (10/26/04): I believe he is currently committed to NU...but he has been encouraged to finish his visits.  Update (12/14/04): If Mr. Suh is a Nebraska commit, it's coming up on the time to let the cat out of the bag.

OTHER OFFERS: Miami (FL), Oregon St, Cal, Arizona, Kentucky, Miss St

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  Barry Cryer (added 11/18/04)

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA (11/26/04).  Realistic middle-tier JUCO DT prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): UR JUCO DT, 3-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): Not listed.

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #1 JUCO DT, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): Not listed.

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 285 lbs

SPEED: 4.78 sec.

HOMETOWN: Dodge City C.C., KS (JUCO)

STATS: (JUCO - So) Def: 52 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 3 PBU, 1 blocked FG

NOTES: While we have been watching Barry for some time, we only recently offered him. Likely this is related to our chances with a couple of top high school DTs.  It sounds like we've been up-front with Barry, telling him he isn't our top choice, but we are definitely interested in him. Scheduled NU visit: 11/26/04 (CU).  Per interviews today, he intends to commit to Nebraska on his visit for the Colorado game.  I believe whether or not that is commitment is accepted will depend on the actions of a couple other prospects.  Update (12/14/04): Shows you what I know.  His intentions to commit were accepted.  Barry is a part of this recruiting class!

OTHER OFFERS: Iowa St, Kansas, Oklahoma St, Toledo, Ball St, Central Florida, Rutgers

PICTURES: (from Dodge City Community College)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  Lorenzo Jones (added 11/18/04)

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA (11/27/04).  Late-added middle-tier DT prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #36 DT, 3-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): UR DT, 3-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #8 DT, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): Not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-4"

WEIGHT: 294 lbs

SPEED: 4.97 sec

HOMETOWN: McKinney, TX (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: unknown

NOTES: Jones was one of many late recruits that we are making a relatively late post-season (high school season,  that is) push for.  Despite his relatively low ratings in some services, he has some strong offers to his credit. Scheduled NU visit: 11/26/04 (CU).  Update (12/14/04): All of a sudden, we look like we might pull together a really outstanding and large DT class.  Big pick up!

OTHER OFFERS: Oklahoma, Texas, Iowa State, Oklahoma St, Arizona

PICTURES: (from Insiders.com)

 

 

 

Others worth watching (offers extended or interest as DT):

 

Terrance Taylor (#7 DT by Rivals) - Muskegon, MI *MICHIGAN COMMIT*

JUCO DT Target #1 - from Midwest

Terrel Nemons (added 10/26/04) (#24 DT by Rivals) - Cedar Hill, TX.  Scheduled NU visit: 12/10/04.

Ismail Abdunafi (added 11/18/04) (4-star JUCO DT by Rivals) - Bakersfield College, CA.

Joe Blanks (2-star DT by Rivals) - Erie, PA - Joe has been a popular target to talk about, but he is a serious qualification risk and not a primary target for this staff either.  If I get it confirmed that he actually has an NU offer, I will add him up above.

 

 

 

 

Outside Linebackers

Updated: 11/12/04

 

 

While the defense is now in it's third system in the last three years, the need for outstanding linebackers always is a constant.  Our current depth at the outside linebacker spots, particularly the WLB, is desperately thin.  Both our #1 (Sievers) and #2 (Cooper) graduate after this year, leaving only walkons remaining.  At SLB, the young tandem of walkon Stewart Bradley and Bo Ruud shows promise.  Waiting in the wings is true freshman Michael Keenan.  We need to hit this position hard and get a couple big playmakers.  Our first commit of the 2005 class, Nick Covey, is custom-built for the SLB spot...so the coaching staff is looking for an immediate contributor at the WLB.  Speed will be a requirement for this recruit.  Should Steve Craver qualify, he would definitely fit this need.

 

 

 

NAME:  Jerome Hayes

CATEGORY: Fairly realistic (???) upper-tier OLB prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #13 OLB, #100 in Rivals100, 4-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #12 OLB)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #13 LB, 4-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #2 Strongside LB, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #6 ILB, #100 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 225 lbs

SPEED: 4.5 sec.

HOMETOWN: Bayonne, NJ (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 64 UT, 18 TFL, 2 sacks, 3 FR

NOTES: This would seem, from my limited perspective, to be a kid we need to maybe pursue a little more strongly.  He's from Jammal Lord's hometown and school (I don't know if that works for us or against us yet) and last time I checked, we need outside linebackers badly.  The last update from one Husker site was in May, the other was in mid-July.  In those updates, he has mentioned that he likes Nebraska and that he'd like to visit, but right now we are a "bubble" team for him.  His top four is currently Miami, Florida, Rutgers and Michigan St.  For us to break in, we'll have an uphill battle ahead of us.

OTHER OFFERS: Miami (FL), Florida, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Rutgers, Michigan St, Louisville, Maryland

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  Alonzo Horton

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO AUBURN. Fairly Realistic OLB prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #19 OLB, 4-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #19 DE, 4-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #9 Rush DE, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #14 OLB

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 209 lbs

SPEED: 4.74 sec. (at LSU Nike Camp)

HOMETOWN: New Orleans (Abramson), LA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 70 UT, 25 AT, 32 TFL, 23 sacks, 1 FR

NOTES: According to the latest updates, his top two are Auburn and LSU (hasn't offered).  He is currently being recruited to NU by Coach Gill, and we are trying to get him here for a visit during the season (which it appears we've done).  The only other school employing this tactic is MSU.  The rest are going to wait after the season is over.  If we can "wow" Alonzo with a good visit, who knows?  With Craver unlikely to ever qualify, and no other realistic top-tier prospects at the time, this becomes a huge target for NU   Update (10/13/04): He has changed his visit date. Scheduled NU visit: 10/15/04 (BU) 10/30/04 (MU).  Updated (10/26/04): Well, turns out Horton made his visit on 10/15/04 after all.  Sounds like he had a great time.

OTHER OFFERS: Florida, Auburn, Tennessee, Michigan St, Alabama

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  Nick Covey

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA (6/2/04).  Realistic middle-tier OLB prospect by NU staff.  Projected at SLB.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #32 OLB, 3-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #31 OLB)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): NR LB, 3-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #9 Strongside LB, 4.5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #16 ILB

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 210 lbs

SPEED: 4.49 sec. (at San Diego State Nike Camp)

HOMETOWN: Glendale (Mountain Ridge), AZ (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: unavailable

NOTES: Nick was our first commitment, and is said to be an ideal SLB project.  He has fantastic speed (was the fastest player at the Nike camp he attended) and also has good size and a nice frame for the position.  Our staff was the first to really look at Nick, and feel like they got a steal here before other teams even knew what happened.  His film showcases his speed, and while he may take a year or so of development to get used to the LB position, the talent is definitely there.  I am very happy about this commitment. Committed to NU: 6/2/04 (Camp). Updated (10/13/04): Scheduled NU visit: 10/15/04 (BU).

OTHER OFFERS: Washington St, Arizona

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  Steve Craver

CATEGORY: Very realistic JUCO OLB prospect (previously committed in 2003 class) by NU staff.  Offer dependent on qualifying.

RATINGS (RIVALS): UR OLB (JUCO) / #33 S, 3-stars (HS)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): Not listed (JUCO) / #19 S, 3-stars (HS)

RATINGS (EMFINGER): Not listed (JUCO) / Not listed (HS)

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 215 lbs

SPEED: 4.5 sec.

HOMETOWN: Kilgore (Kilgore College), TX (JUCO) / Hurst (L.D. Bell), TX (???)

STATS: (JUCO-Fr) Def: redshirted

NOTES: Steve is currently having some problems that he is dealing with.  He is said to be a long way from qualifying, and is also not even starting for his JUCO team.  I am told to not expect the younger Craver to ever end up in Lincoln.  I'm told that not even his older brother (and former Husker) Keyou gives him much chance to qualify.  We need to start looking elsewhere at this position.

OTHER OFFERS: Oklahoma, LSU, Texas A&M

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  Andre Mathis

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO TENNESSEE. Quiet upper-tier OLB prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #8 ILB, 4-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #19 LB, 4-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #8 Strongside LB, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #10 OLB

HEIGHT: 6'-1"

WEIGHT: 224 lbs

SPEED: 4.69 sec. (at Penn State Nike Camp)

HOMETOWN: Erie (Cathedral Prep),  PA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 84 tackles

NOTES: Not a lot of press about our pursuit of Andre, but we are in fact going after him.  Update (10/17/04): Was supposedly scheduled late for a visit on 10/15/04 (BU), but did not make the visit.  Not sure if he will actually come here or not...would be a surprise if so.

OTHER OFFERS: Florida, Ohio State, Tennessee, Iowa, Penn State, Michigan St, West Virginia

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  David Dixon (added 11/1/04)

CATEGORY: Realistic upper-tier JUCO OLB prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): NR OLB, 5-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): not listed

RATINGS (EMFINGER): not listed

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 235 lbs

SPEED: 4.42 sec.

HOMETOWN: Hutchinson (Hutchinson C.C.), KS (JUCO)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 46 tackles, 17 TFL, 6 sacks

NOTES: This is a top-flight JUCO we've had targeted for quite a while, but recently we have picked up the pace in pursuing David.  By all appearances, an EXTREMELY good prospect.  His listed speed is said to be legitimate.  Hopefully we can get a visit at this need position.  Update (11/12/04): While David is an excellent football player, his grades are not where they need to be gain entrance into NU.  However, he may have a good chance to get into Kansas State, which has different qualifying criteria.

OTHER OFFERS: Arkansas, Kansas St, Kansas, Texas A&M

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  Tyrell Graham (added 11/1/04)

CATEGORY: Realistic second-tier OLB prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #62 OLB, 3-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): NR LB, 3-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): not listed

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-4"

WEIGHT: 205 lbs

SPEED: 4.78 sec. (at Texas A&M Nike Camp)

HOMETOWN: Houston (Yates), TX (???)

STATS: (Jr) Unknown

NOTES: Tyrell is a second-tier prospect for us, whom we will probably pursue harder if the need arises.  Not a bad prospect in his own right.

OTHER OFFERS: Arkansas, Oklahoma St

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  Dontrell Moore (added 11/12/04)

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA (11/10/04).  Realistic middle-tier JUCO OLB prospect by NU staff.  Projected at WLB.

RATINGS (RIVALS): NR OLB, 3-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): Not listed

RATINGS (EMFINGER): Not listed

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): Not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 225 lbs

SPEED: 4.5 sec.

HOMETOWN: Coffeyville C.C., KS (JUCO)

STATS: (JUCO - So) Def (11 games): 18 TFL, 7.5 sacks, 13 QBH, 5 PBU, 2 FF, 1 FR

NOTES: Dontrell is an exciting junior college prospect that our coaches expect to step right in and star at the critical WLB position.  His JUCO coach has been in the stellar Jayhawk League for over a decade, and the closest comparison he used for Dontrell is former Husker Terrell Farley.  His coach called him a faster version of Farley.  With comments like that, its easy to see why our coaches are excited about this commitment. Originally from Louisiana.  Scheduled NU visit: 11/26/04 (CU).

OTHER OFFERS: Arkansas, Kansas St, Kansas, South Carolina, East Carolina, Troy

PICTURES: (from Insiders.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  Nate Harris (added 11/12/04)

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO LOUISVILLE (11/12/04). Realistic upper-tier JUCO OLB prospect by NU staff.  Projected at WLB or SLB.

RATINGS (RIVALS): NR OLB, #10 JUCO in Nation, 4-stars (former #94 Rivals100 player and #4 OLB as high school senior)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): Not listed

RATINGS (EMFINGER): Not listed

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): Not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-0"

WEIGHT: 225 lbs

SPEED: 4.5 sec.

HOMETOWN: Dodge City C.C., KS (JUCO)

STATS: (JUCO - So) Def: unknown

NOTES: At one point a couple weeks ago I had reason to believe that Harris would be a part of this year's NU class.  Unfortunately for us, Nate committed to Louisville on his official visit there.  For those unfamiliar, Nate was an extremely highly regarded high school prospect out of Miami, FL who committed to the Hurricanes.  His high school numbers as a junior were ridiculously good, but as a senior Nate was arrested and convicted as a lookout for an armed robbery.  This resulted in the Canes pulling their offer, and Nate spent 3 months in a "boot camp".  The experience appears to have changed Harris, and he is finally getting that chance at being a big time college player.

OTHER OFFERS: Louisville, Arkansas, Kansas St, Kansas, Michigan St

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  Steve Octavien (added 11/12/04)

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA (12/13/04).  Realistic middle-tier JUCO OLB prospect by NU staff.  Projected at SLB.

RATINGS (RIVALS): NR OLB, 3-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): Not listed

RATINGS (EMFINGER): Not listed

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): Not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-1"

WEIGHT: 230 lbs

SPEED: 4.5 sec.

HOMETOWN: Palatine (William Rainey Harper College), IL (JUCO)

STATS: (JUCO - So) Def: unknown

NOTES: Octavien is another very athletic junior college outside linebacker NU is after.  He was a NJCAA Pre-Season All-American, and is the NJCAA National Champion (and record holder) in the discuss.  At 230 lbs, he also ran the second leg of their national champion 4x100 relay team.  Based on the comments I am hearing,  he is all but committed to Nebraska at this point and I expect that to become official by his official visit at the latest.  He will be eligible to graduate in December and count as a part of the 2004 class.  Originally from Naples (Lely), FL. Scheduled NU visit: 11/26/04 (CU).  Update (12/14/04): Steve is being penciled in as an immediate starter at OLB, along with fellow signee Dontrell Moore.

OTHER OFFERS: Kansas, Indiana, Arizona, Central Florida, Toledo, North Carolina

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

Others worth watching (offers extended or interest as OLB):

 

Tray Blackmon (#1 OLB by Rivals) - LaGrange, GA

Ryan Reynolds (#2 OLB by Rivals) - Las Vegas, NV

Rico McCoy (#15 OLB by Rivals) - Washington, DC

 

 

 

Middle Linebackers

Updated: 10/19/04

 

 

If possible, this situation is even more desperate than last year.  While we return 19 starters overall next year, we lose the leader of our defense, 3-year starter, captain, and all-time NU tackle leader Barrett Ruud.  The void of his departure will be felt hard next year regardless, but we must restock this position with at least one player (preferably two) that can come in next year and possibly start as a true freshman.  Due to this situation, we might also pursue JUCO MLBs as the recruiting progresses.

 

 

 

NAME:  Rey Maualuga

CATEGORY: Realistic upper-tier MLB prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #1 ILB, #26 in Rivals100, 5-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #5 LB, #34 in Top 100, 5-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #1 Strongside LB, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #1 ILB, #21 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 6'-2.5"

WEIGHT: 253 lbs

SPEED: 4.72 sec. (at Stanford Nike Camp)

HOMETOWN: Eureka, CA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 110 UT, 36 AT, 43 TFL, 1 INT, 4 PBU, 2 FR

NOTES: I am extremely impressed with our recruitment of this super blue-chip player.  It is amazing not only to get a visit, but also impress him so much that - even for a time being - he names us as a co-leader.  Sadly, I believe he is destined to be a Trojan though...his parents want it, and I think he does too.  USC's polynesian connection and coaches are hurting us here.  It's not something we can consciously control, just a fact of life.  In recruiting, however, there are no moral victories...either a player comes or he doesn't.  That simple.  Nonetheless, I am satisfied that we did everything we possibly could here.  Scheduled NU visit: 9/3/04 (WIU).  Update (10/13/04): Apparently, his recent visit to Oregon went very well.  We may now be behind both Oregon and USC for his services.

OTHER OFFERS: USC, Oklahoma, LSU, Notre Dame, Arizona, Ohio State, Florida St, Miami (FL), Michigan, Oregon

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

NAME:  Phillip Dillard

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA (7/29/04). Surprisingly realistic upper-tier MLB prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #6 ILB, #100 in Rivals100, 4-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #4 ILB)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #27 LB, 4-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #5 Inside LB, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #5 ILB, #94 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 247 lbs

SPEED: 4.61 sec.

HOMETOWN: Jenks, OK (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 101 tackles, 6 sacks

NOTES: Phillip is a terrific inside linebacker prospect from a talent-rich prep powerhouse, in the heart of the Sooner state.  This commitment has potentially far-reaching implications, and is a great example of the tenacity and lack of fear by this coaching staff in recruiting.  In film, Phillip hits very hard, and is an intimidating presence in the middle.  He is expected to challenge for a starting job at MLB as a true freshman, and this opportunity appealed to him (his parents also liked us, which didn't hurt).  This is a huge pickup at a critical position. Scheduled NU visit: 9/3/04 (WIU).

OTHER OFFERS: Florida, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Kansas St

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

Cornerbacks

Updated: 11/8/04

 

 

The cornerback position for NU over the last seven years has been a mixed bag.  Quite often, NU was blessed with exceptionally talented players at the position (Ralph Brown, Erwin Swiney, Keyou Craver, Dejuan Groce, Fabian Washington) but just as often a lack of quality depth and competition has hurt us against all-out passing teams.  It is not as though our coaches have not tried to address this problem over the years - we have continually searched high and low, high school and JUCO, for able-bodied cornerbacks.  Unfortunately our success rate has been particularly low with JUCOs.  Last year NU's biggest recruit was highly-touted Omaha Central (NE) player Cortney Grixby, who has already started a game as a true freshman this year.  Nebraska needs to build depth behind Grixby and Washington, hopefully finding their next CB to send to the NFL in the process.

 

 

NAME:  Reggie Smith

CATEGORY: Very realistic upper-tier CB prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #4 CB, #62 in Rivals100, 4-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #3 CB)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #2 S, #21 in Top 100, 5-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #1 FS, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #4 CB, #27 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 6'-1"

WEIGHT: 190 lbs

SPEED: 4.47 sec.

HOMETOWN: Edmond (Santa Fe), OK (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 33 UT, 40 AT, 5 TFL, 9 INT, 14 PBU, 3 FR

NOTES: The recruitment of Reggie Smith is the first real full-on, drag-out, head-to-head recruiting battle between NU's staff and OU's staff.  While OU fans have attempted to write off Roark, Dillard, Hunter and Bowman (all had OU offers) as not being "priority" targets...they can not say that here.  Smith is the top player in the state of Oklahoma, and one of the top athletes in the nation.  He may not be the best player that OU is pursuing, but he is probably their most important.  Losing Smith to Nebraska would be a blow to OU...make no doubt about it.  The rumors on this battle run the gamut...OU "insiders" claim he is a silent Sooner commit.  Likewise, I have heard from trusted NU sources who feel he is a silent Husker commit.  You have to wonder...he seems very guarded in his comments, and refuses to discuss leaders...as if he wants to avoid a backlash.  In other words, if he favors an out-of-state team.  There are some hints through his interviews that this may be the case.  Could that team be NU?  I sure hope so.  We need to get Reggie to NU for an official visit, though he has already seen NU while at camp here.  Update (10/17/04): In an update this weekend, Reggie named NU his leader, saying if he had to commit now, it would be to Nebraska.  I can't wait to get his kid in for a visit.  I'm sure OU, which has already thrown everything but the kitchen sink at Reggie, wasn't happy to hear that.

OTHER OFFERS: Oklahoma, USC, Kansas St, Oklahoma St, Kansas, UCLA, Texas A&M

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  Calvin Mickens

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA (8/26/04). Very realistic middle-tier CB prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): NR CB, 3-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #37 CB, 3-stars)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): NR CB, 2-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #14 FS, 4.5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 195 lbs

SPEED: 4.47 sec.

HOMETOWN: Beaumont, TX (???)

STATS: (Jr) Rec: 21 rec, 270 yds (12.9 ypc), 5 TD

NOTES: Mickens is a legitimate CB prospect with true height and speed.  He and teammate Wallace Franklin have snuck under the recruiting radar, relatively speaking, but a number of good schools have shown interest and offered.  Our depth is thin at this position and Calvin provides depth and potential. Scheduled NU visit: 10/15/04 (BU).

OTHER OFFERS: Arizona, Missouri, Texas A&M, Northwestern, Washington St, UTEP

PICTURES: (Updated 10/17/04: modified photo from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  Zackary Bowman

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA (9/12/04). Surprising upper-tier JUCO CB prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): UR CB (JUCO) (updated 10/26/04: 5-stars) / UR S, 2-stars (HS)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): UR WR (JUCO) / #86 S, 2-stars (HS)

RATINGS (EMFINGER): Not listed

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 200 lbs

SPEED: 4.4 sec.

HOMETOWN: Roswell (N.M. Military Institute), NM (JUCO) / Anchorage (Bartlett), AK (???)

STATS: (JUCO - Fr) unavailable / (HS - Jr) unavailable 

NOTES: Zackary is one of those "quiet" JUCO 5-star commits, much like Demorrio Williams was.  He was the sole visitor for our game vs. Southern Miss, and I saw in his eyes that he was sold the minute he walked off the bus.  His eyes said "wow".  Zack escaped attention in high school primarily due to his location...Alaska...and his military family.  Moving around constantly, Zack never really established press for himself nor did he have an opportunity to take entrance exams...hence the JUCO route.  Football recruiting is prone to hyperbole, particularly when you're talking about speed.  Nonetheless, his JUCO coach claims Zack is remarkably fast...like consistently 4.3-4.4 electronic.  He must be pretty fast, as OU, Florida and Texas Tech were very interested.  Our coaching staff is very high about his commitment...they anticipate using him primarily at CB, with him also serving as a WR.  He's believed to be that good. Scheduled NU visit: 9/10/04 (USM).  Update (10/13/04): Well, I finally caught his film, and I'm very impressed!  Zack is very tall, very aggressive, and very fast.  He adjusts to the ball quickly, and shows great closing speed.  In all, an excellent prospect.  Updated (10/26/04):  Zach has been named a 5-star by Rivals.

OTHER OFFERS: Oklahoma, Florida, Texas Tech, South Carolina, Arizona St, East Carolina

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  Robert Rands (added 11/8/04)

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA (11/8/04). Surprise unheralded PR/KR/ATH prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): NR CB, 2-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): NR CB, 2-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): not listed

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): not listed

HEIGHT: 5'-8"

WEIGHT: 160 lbs

SPEED: 4.41 sec.

HOMETOWN: Bellevue (East), NE (Class A)

STATS: (Jr) Rush: 1269 yards, 12 TD; KR: 6 ret, 153 yards; Def: 38 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT

NOTES: Rands is a major surprise by this coaching staff.  Just when you thought that they were exclusively going after big-time national recruits only, they take a bit of a project from Nebraska.  Rands is a guy that they were very impressed with in camp, but wanted to evaluate over the course of the season.  That they ended up offering him is a great sign to the entire state of high school coaches and players that "yes, we also go after Nebraska kids too."  He is lightning fast and I believe he is being brought in almost purely as a returner.  Again, a very NFL mentality.

OTHER OFFERS: none

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

Safeties

Updated: 11/8/04

 

 

Safeties serve as the QB of the defense, and in particular the Rover spot is especially critical.  NU had dominant play from this position from Toby Wright (NFL-St. Louis) to Mike Minter (NFL-Carolina) to Eric Warfield (NFL-Kansas City) to Mike Brown (NFL-Chicago).  Nebraska experienced a significant lull in quality at the position after Brown left in 1999 until last year, when the twin Bullocks brother (Daniel and Josh) solidified their hold on the positions as underclassmen and showed outstanding playmaking ability.  Josh earned 1st team All-American honors as a sophomore in 2003, while Daniel finished fourth on the team in tackles despite only starting half the season.  NU's targets at the safety spots will be expected to challenge for the nickel spot and learn for a year under the All-American candidate brothers, and be ready to take over the position as a sophomore.  With no appreciable depth at the safety spots, this position is more critical than it at first seems.

 

 

 

NAME:  Nic/Nick Harris

CATEGORY: Realistic upper-tier S prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #12 S, 3-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #5 S, 4-stars)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #41 LB, 3-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #3 FS, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 208 lbs

SPEED: 4.5 sec.

HOMETOWN: Alexandria, LA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 81 UT, 37 AT, 21 TFL, 10 INT, 12 PBU, 4 FR

NOTES: Harris has already visited OU and Texas A&M, and is still undecided.  He also is refusing to name a leader until completing all 5 visits.  Home-state LSU is listed as a slight favorite in one publication, but it's hard to tell how the visits will go.  I will say this, I feel good that our game-day visits will be better than anything OU or TAMU can offer.  I'm also curious if this kid might not be a LB prospect for us, given how our OLB recruiting is going. Scheduled NU visit: 10/15/04 (BU).  Update (11/8/04): Harris has rescheduled his visit.  Scheduled NU visit: 11/26/04 (CU).

OTHER OFFERS: Oklahoma, LSU, Michigan, Texas A&M 

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  Ishie Oduegwu

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO TEXAS TECH (9/19/04).  Bizarre upper-tier S prospect by NU staff. (Offer pulled)

RATINGS (RIVALS): #7 S, 4-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #9 S)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #15 S, 4-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #6 SS, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): not listed

HEIGHT: 5'-10"

WEIGHT: 185 lbs

SPEED: 4.5 sec.

HOMETOWN: Denton (Ryan), TX (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 152 tackles, 30 TFL, 15 PBU, 2 INT

NOTES: There's no concise way to describe what's happened with Ishie, but I'll try to summarize.  He appears just desperate to commit somewhere...first he tried LSU, but they turned him down.  He contacted KSU, but they didn't bite.  He contacted NU...and we didn't bite either.  So now he's at Texas Tech.  The shame of it is, his film is IMPRESSIVE.  He flies to the ball and hits like a Mack Truck.  Honestly, he reminds me a lot of Mike Brown on film.  It's a shame he apparently has other issues though.  I don't know if it's grades or something else, but some teams appear to think he's damaged goods.

OTHER OFFERS: LSU (withdrawn), Texas Tech, Missouri, Oklahoma St

PICTURES: (taken by Bryan Munson/Insiders.com, stolen by Max Emfinger)

 

 

 

 

NAME:  Adam Myers-White (added: 10/13/04)

CATEGORY: Moderately realistic upper-tier S prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #3 S, #63 in Rivals100, 4-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #7 S)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #7 S, #71 in Top 100, 4-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #2 SS, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #3 S, #54 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 6'-4"

WEIGHT: 190 lbs

SPEED: 4.5 sec.

HOMETOWN: Hamilton, OH (???)

STATS: (Jr) Def: 70 tackles, 4 INT

NOTES: Adam's story is interesting.  He is clearly one of the top safeties in the country...extremely tall and rangy, with a top gear.  As an Ohio native, Ohio State has been trying to pressure him to qualify.  He has consistently refused, and in a surprising move, they revoked his scholarship offer!  So now a kid who was believed to be an Ohio State "lock" is open for pursuit again...and NU is one of his new favorites.  If we can get a visit, you never know.  Update (10/19/04): Adam has scheduled an official visit to NU.  Update (11/18/04): Adam rescheduled his NU visit. Scheduled NU visit: 12/10/04 (bye).

OTHER OFFERS: Ohio State (pulled offer when he didn't commit), Florida, USC, Purdue, Tennessee 

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)