OurDecay's 2005 Targets: Offense

Another weekend, another loss...another two commitments. After an away game, no less? Big news!

Top 100 rankings from Insiders.com have now been added. Likewise, the commitment list should grow in the next couple days! Check it out!

Recruit rankings from Tom Lemming (ESPN.com) have now been added. On the heels of the worst loss in school history, it is time to focus on the positive!

Well, folks I'm going to do something very different this year. This probably won't be updated NEARLY as often as before, and honestly...that's a credit to our coaching staff. Anybody who is doing their best to keep up with their torrid pace, particularly when it's not their full-time job, I pity. Guys like Bryan Munson and Steve Ryan over at Big Red Report, Mike Matya over at Husker Illustrated...that's a lot more work than people ever give them credit for. I could not even hope to even keep pace with those fine gentlemen. What I'm doing here is trying to pin point who I feel are our BEST targets. Both quality-wise, and chance-of-commitment wise. And, for largely the first time since I really started following recruiting closely, we have many targets that are BOTH!

Also new this year is that I am widening my pool of information to now include the Insiders network, Max Emfinger, and Tom Lemming. By presenting an aggregate of a player's rating, I hope to somewhat eliminate the biases of certain individuals in the industry.

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.

**NOTE: THESE PROSPECTS ARE LISTED UNDER THE POSITION THAT MOST RECRUITING SERVICES ARE PLACING THEM, NOT NECESSARILY WHERE NEBRASKA IS RECRUITING THEM!!!**

Part of the reason I waited so long to put together a 2005 website is that it soon became apparent that these coaches would make my job very easy if I just waited a bit. After pulling in three sleeper-type "pro-style" QBs late in the 2004 recruiting season, our new coaches made recruiting a star QB the top priority of this class. And they rose to the occasion with a fervor and tenacity that was shocking. Of the top 7 passing quarterbacks in the nation (based on a consensus of services), Nebraska is believed to be the FIRST school to offer FIVE of them. That, folks, is astounding. We had a top target, and we got him. Indeed, we didn't blindly go after the #1 rated guy, etc. We did our homework, and grabbed the person who most closely fit our needs. Rumor even has it we turned down a commit offer from the #2 rated QB (Mark Sanchez, to USC). Regardless if that's true or not, our staff knew exactly what they were looking for, and got their #1 target at a huge need position. And before the season had even started.

NAME: Harrison Beck

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA (6/9/04). Highest-targeted QB by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #3 Pro-Style QB, #100 in Rivals100, 4-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #7 Pro-Style QB (not in Top 100), 4-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #4 Drop-Back QB, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #4 QB, #43 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 6'-1"

WEIGHT: 205 lbs

SPEED: 4.67 sec.

HOMETOWN: Clearwater, FL (4A)

STATS: (Jr) Pass: 200 att, 2,300 yds, 21 TD, 9 INT; Rush: 150 yds

NOTES: The offers speak for themselves. This is a remarkable commitment for our staff. As an added bonus, Harrison is a very solid commitment and has been actively recruiting (on his own) on NU's behalf. This set the tone very early for what our new staff is all about in recruiting. Update (10/26/04): Scheduled NU visit: 10/29/04 (MU). Update (12/14/04): It should be noted that Harrison has been hotly pursued by the likes of everybody from Coker at Miami to Steve Spurrier at South Carolina. Through it all, he has been a beacon of commitment. Much will be asked of this kid next year and in the future...thus far I am optimistic about his mindset. He didn't even mind when we recruited and grabbed a JUCO QB.

OTHER OFFERS: Miami (FL), Florida St, Florida, Michigan, Ole Miss, NC State

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Zac Taylor (added 12/14/04)

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA (12/11/04). Late JUCO targeted QB by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): 3-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): unknown

RATINGS (EMFINGER): not listed

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 210 lbs

SPEED: 4.7 sec.

HOMETOWN: Butler County C.C., KS (JUCO)

STATS: (JUCO - So) Pass: unknown

NOTES: Scheduled NU visit: 12/10/04 (bye). Zac is an interesting story. He grew up originally in Norman, Oklahoma, which made him very aware of the Huskers in his youth. Out of high school, he was a legitimate Division-I talent...ending up at Wake Forest. He then transferred from Wake Forest and made his way to Butler. This year he led Butler to a #1 national JUCO ranking. His numbers were very good, and a couple of his offers aren't bad at all. He is being brought in to give some competition and security behind Beck. He has 3 to play 2.

OTHER OFFERS: Marshall, Memphis, Troy State, North Texas

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

Running Backs

Updated: 12/14/04

While I was at first tempted to say that the fact we are doing so much better with top running back recruits was ironic, given our change in offensive scheme, my friend Matt as usual quickly corrected me. There is nothing ironic about it. Top skill position players harbor dreams of playing in the NFL. Playing in an NFL-oriented offense in college is a big part of that dream. Playing for a former NFL head coach and offensive coordinator, with a position coach fresh from playing the position in the NFL (Randy Jordan)...well that's just icing on the cake. Though we don't have a commit yet at the time I write this, I feel very confident that this will be a landmark year at the position.

NAME: Marlon Lucky

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA (11/7/04). Highest-rated RB by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): ~~#1 RB~~, #10 in Rivals100, 5-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #2 RB)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #5 RB, #31 in Top 100, 5-stars

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

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #5 TB, #19 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 5'-11.5"

WEIGHT: 202 lbs

SPEED: 4.44 (at camp)

HOMETOWN: North Hollywood, CA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Rush: 276 car, 1778 yds (8.6 ypc), 28 TD; Rec: 15 rec, 219 (15.6 ypc), 2 TD

NOTES: I have reason to believe that he will be our biggest recruiting win since probably Ahman Green in 1995. Consider his lofty ranking, and the other teams vying for him. His film is quite convincing. Not only does he have balance, speed, strength and quickness...he also has excellent hands. He is the ideal back for the WCO. Currently, this battle is down to just USC and Nebraska. He is bringing his entire family for his visit on Oct. 15th to the Baylor game, and with him being that serious about committing, and our new track record on visits, a commitment on his visit or very soon after would not surprise me. One thing to temper your enthusiasm though - we need to make sure he fully qualifies. To win him, and then lose him to grades would be a devastating blow. Scheduled NU visit: 10/15/04 (BU). Update (10/13/04): I expect Marlon to commit on his visit to NU, or very soon after. Update (10/26/04): I think he may be silently committed to NU. We'll just have to wait and see. Update (11/8/04): Awesome news! Marlon announced his commitment to NU yesterday! Huge win for our staff!!!!

OTHER OFFERS: USC, Florida, LSU, Washington, Oregon St

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Edward Britton

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO TEXAS TECH (10/26/04). Early targeted RB by NU staff. Versatile athlete, and moderate "sleeper"

RATINGS (RIVALS): ~~#22 ATH~~, 3-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #24 ATH)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): NR RB, 1-star (not evaluated yet)

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #6 All-Purpose Back, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): not listed

HEIGHT: 5'-11"

WEIGHT: 160 lbs

SPEED: 4.51 (at camp)

HOMETOWN: El Paso (Montwood), TX (???)

STATS: (Jr) Rush: 258 car, 2185 yds (8.4 ypc), 22 TD

NOTES: We clearly like Britton early. At one point, he may have even been our top choice. Nonetheless, he is still among our top targets at the position. While slightly built, he is lightning quick and very productive against solid competition. He is more of an all-purpose athlete that could conceivably play other positions than running back. He clearly factors academics into the equation, and whether or not that works for us or against us isn't certain yet. We may lead for his services now, but I believe personally that we are slow-playing him slightly pending what Lucky does. Scheduled NU visit: 10/1/04 (KU). Update (10/13/04): I expect Britton to end up closer to home and his father...either at TCU or Texas Tech. Update (10/26/04): As predicted, I expect Britton to commit to Texas Tech shortly.

OTHER OFFERS: Stanford, Texas Tech, TCU, BYU, Okie State

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: A.J. Jimmerson

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO MICHIGAN STATE (11/7/04). Moderate interest from NU staff. Heavy interest from Jimmerson.

RATINGS (RIVALS): ~~#37 RB~~, 3-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #27 RB)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #16 RB, 4-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #12 Tailback, 4.5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #15 TB, #98 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 5'-11"

WEIGHT: 204 lbs

SPEED: 4.4

HOMETOWN: Florissant (Hazelwood Central), MO (???)

STATS: (Jr) Rush: 190 car, 1445 yds (7.6 ypc), 24 TD; Rec: 33 rec, 536 (16.2 ypc), 4 TD

NOTES: Just based on his receiving stats alone, it should be clear why there is some degree of mutual interest. The WCO favors running backs who can be capable backs out of the backfield, and Jimmerson would seem to fit that. I just don't know how much interest there is from the Husker staff on him, but they seem to be keeping in contact in case he is their "fallback". Not a bad "fallback" if you ask me. It should say a lot that despite our staff not putting the full court press on him, he continues to claim NU as his leader. Update (10/13/04): I believe we are actually recruiting A.J. as a fullback, assuming he is interested. He has exceptional ability as a receiver, and in our new offense the fullback is a versatile weapon both running and receiving. We may make a late push for A.J. Updated (11/2/04): A.J. has scheduled 4 of his 5 official visits, and they include NU! Scheduled NU visit: 12/17/04 (bye). Updated (11/8/04): A.J. has pulled the trigger on Michigan St. Sounds like this is best for A.J. and NU. By the way, Missouri is NOT happy about this.

OTHER OFFERS: Kansas St, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan St, Indiana

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Montarrio Hardesty

CATEGORY: Very realistic prospect for NU staff. Possible early commit on or after official visit. Being recruited by NU as a safety.

RATINGS (RIVALS): ~~#5 APB, 3-stars~~ (Updated 10/19/04: #11 ATH, 4-stars)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #UR DB/RB, 4-stars (haven't decided which position to rank him at)

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #7 Safety, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #16 TB

HEIGHT: 6'-0"

WEIGHT: 190 lbs

SPEED: 4.5 (at camp)

HOMETOWN: New Bern, NC (???)

STATS: (Jr) Rush: 263 car, 1987 yds, 19 TD; Rec: 13 rec, 307, 2 TD

NOTES: Well, most of what I'm hearing about Montarrio is good. He is clearly a great athlete, as different services have him highly rated...albeit at completely different positions. I am trying to get to the bottom of where we like him to play at, but I'm also hearing that he could be a Husker commit less than a week from this writing. Scheduled NU visit: 10/1/04 (KU). Wherever he plays, he is a solid addition to the team should he select Nebraska. We are his only scheduled visit at this time. Note his other offers and his location. This staff isn't afraid to charge right into regions where NU hasn't historically faired well and mix it up with the local schools. Here we are raiding the deep south with impunity. I love it. Update (12/14/04): Montarrio and NU lost interest mutually soon after the signing of Marlon Lucky. Montarrio insists on playing running back, and Nebraska refused to recruit him as one.

OTHER OFFERS: Notre Dame, Clemson, Virginia Tech, Tennessee, North Carolina, NC State

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Mikell Simpson

CATEGORY: Highest-rated RB by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): ~~#14 RB~~, 4-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #13 RB)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #17 RB, 4-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #5 APB, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #6 S, #90 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 6'-0.5"

WEIGHT: 202 lbs

SPEED: 4.38 (at PSU camp)

HOMETOWN: Harrisburg, PA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Rush: 88 car, 862 yds (9.8 ypc), 21 TD; Rec: 23 rec, 520 (22.6 ypc), 5 TD

NOTES: Check out the efficiency in his stats. Just goofy. Between the 4.38 he clocked at the Nike camp at Penn State, and his gaudy 10 yards-per-carry, he a big play waiting to happen. He actually was said to favor us early. I don't know that we have let that door close yet, but we have been more actively pursuing other targets. If anything, we have kept up enough contact that should we run out of options, we can make a late push for him. Actually, we are in his top 4, along with Alabama, UCLA and Virginia. The absence of home-state PSU is alarming. Update (12/14/04): We never needed to call him. We got the guy(s) we wanted.

OTHER OFFERS: Alabama, UCLA, Virginia, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan St

PICTURES: (from Insiders.com)

NAME: Kalvin Bailey

CATEGORY: New FB target by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #1 FB, #94 in Rivals100, 4-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #31 RB, 4-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #9 FB, 4.5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #6 FB

HEIGHT: 5'-11"

WEIGHT: 245 lbs

SPEED: 4.7

HOMETOWN: Seffner (Armwood), FL (???)

STATS: (Jr) Rush: 1737 yds, 23 TD

NOTES: This is a new target, added 10/1/04 to this site. Bailey is showing a surprising amount of new interest - he actually eliminated us in July, but has since decided to visit NU after all. You never know what can happen with a visit. Emfinger still is listing him as a Florida verbal, which doesn't jive with other services. Update (10/13/04): I don't think we have much of a chance here. Update (11/8/04): Per a report on Rivals today, Kalvin has a top two of Nebraska and Georgia??? He says he likes those two schools the best because they are looking at him as a "feature back" and not a fullback. I don't buy it. Maybe we have promised him the same thing we promised Leon Jackson...a shot at tailback, with the understanding that if it doesn't work out we move him to fullback? This is, without question, a premier player. Update (12/14/04): after getting a commitment from Cody Glenn, we dropped interest in Bailey.

OTHER OFFERS: Miami (FL), Georgia, Georgia Tech, LSU, Pittsburgh, USC, Florida (decommitted)

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Leon Jackson

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA (10/7/04). Very realistic upper-tier RB/S prospect by NU staff. Projected as a RB, WR or S by NU coaches.

RATINGS (RIVALS): ~~#10 CB~~, 4-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #4 ATH, #41 in Rivals100)

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

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #7 RB, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #2 S, #23 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 200 lbs

SPEED: 4.4 sec.

HOMETOWN: Pasco (Pasco), WA (???)

STATS: (Sr) Rush: 30 car, 579 yds (19.3 ypc!!!), 10 TD (through 4 games)

STATS: (Jr) Rush: 1170 yds, 27 TD; Rec: 620 yds (doesn't include playoffs)

NOTES: Leon's father is a huge Nebraska fan and strongly pushed Leon to commit on his visit to Lincoln. However, Leon is going to be taking at least two more visits before deciding. My feeling is that he is a virtual NU lock at this point, especially since he wants a chance at RB and we have told him that's where we'd start him. Despite interviews though, he is willing to try any position, and NU likewise will take him wherever they can get him. He is ridiculously fast in his films. Leon has a little work to do to qualify...let's hope he does. Scheduled NU visit: 10/1/04 (KU). As expected, Leon did in fact commit soon after the visit, and NU gets an explosive running back and athlete. Arguably the biggest commit of this class at the time he committed.

OTHER OFFERS: Oregon, Oregon St, Washington, Washington St, California,

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Jonathan Stewart (added: 10/13/04)

CATEGORY: Late added upper-tier RB prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): ~~#4 RB~~, #24 in Rivals100, 5-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #1 RB)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #1 RB, #6 in Top 100, 5-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #4 Tailback, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #1 TB, #3 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 5'-10"

WEIGHT: 224 lbs

SPEED: 4.52 sec. (at Oregon Nike Camp)

HOMETOWN: Lacey (Timberline), WA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Rush: 2600 yds, 36 TD

NOTES: Stewart was offered relatively late in the recruiting season (at least for this staff)...around the start of October. Word has it he was actually very excited to get the offer, which came right on the heels of his offer from USC (he was reportedly more excited about the NU offer). I think the possibility is there for NU to potentially make a strong move for Jonathan, but at this point, he isn't a top priority (if that makes any sense). His credentials are extremely impressive. Update (12/14/04): Any interest that was there from NU was dropped upon Marlon Lucky's commitment.

OTHER OFFERS: USC, Oregon St, Washington St, California

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Cody Glenn (added 11/12/04)

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA (11/30/04). (New realistic RB/FB target by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #25 RB, 3-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #30 RB, 3-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #13 Tailback, 4.5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): Not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-0"

WEIGHT: 211 lbs

SPEED: 4.62 (at Texas A&M Nike Camp)

HOMETOWN: Rusk, TX (???)

STATS: (Jr) Rush (11 games): 217 car, 2006 yds (9.2 ypc), 27 TD

NOTES: Cody is a very recent offer from our staff, whose offer came after the commits of both Jackson and Lucky at running back. All things considered this looks like a case where we are trying to get a great athlete and running back and projecting them at fullback. Glenn has a thick frame and lacks the breakaway the speed of Jackson and Lucky, which leads you to believe he would be a great FB in the WCO. This would truly be a steal if we could grab a top-25 tailback in the nation and convince him to play fullback in our offense. Our prospects for Cody look pretty good too...we are his only scheduled official visit, and are the only team that will get to host him for a gameday. Given the type of schools recruiting him, this would be a major coup to pull him from Texas. Scheduled NU visit: 11/26/04 (CU). Update (12/14/04): Cody committed after his visit, and has since remained committed despite other schools coming after him.

OTHER OFFERS: Tennessee, Texas A&M, Oklahoma St, Arizona, BYU, Kansas

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

Wide Receivers

Updated: 12/14/04

This is an area that has received a major overhaul in types of targets and types of responsibilities in our offense. A playmaker is a definite need for our new scheme, but it was expected (by me) that this would be the last piece of the puzzle we'd find. I thought it would take a year or more of established passing offense to entice top-flight WRs. Thus far, I appear to have grossly underestimated our coaches ability to sell the program, and sell early playing time. While we currently have 19 players (not all scholarship) on the team at the WR spot, it should be expected that between graduation and other "losses", there will be room for 3-4 receivers in this class.

NAME: Patrick Turner

CATEGORY: Highest-rated WR by NU staff. Might land a visit.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #2, #15 in Rivals100, 5-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #3 WR, #11 in Top 100, 5-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #2 Flanker WR, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #4 WR, #24 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 6'-5"

WEIGHT: 210 lbs

SPEED: 4.55

HOMETOWN: Nashville (Goodpasture), TN (???)

STATS: (Jr) Rec: 56 rec, 955 yds, 12 TD

(So) Rec: 56 rec, 1033 yds, 14 TD

NOTES: Needless to say, the chances of this happening are pretty remote. As a consolation prize, it would actually pretty remarkable to even get a visit from this superstar player. His NFL-ready body type is sure to be an asset to whoever gets him.

OTHER OFFERS: Florida, LSU, USC, OU, Miami (FL), Texas, Tennessee

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Nyan Boeteng

CATEGORY: Two-sport athlete being pursued by both our football and basketball programs.

RATINGS (RIVALS): ~~#11 WR~~, #86 in Rivals100, 4-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #12 WR)

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

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #11 Flanker WR, 4.5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #9 WR, #74 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 6'-2"

WEIGHT: 186 lbs

SPEED: 4.5 (at Rutgers camp)

HOMETOWN: Brooklyn (Lincoln), NY (???)

STATS: (Jr) Rec: 44 rec, 940 yds, 14 TD

NOTES: Note - suffered a broken ankle before his senior season and may not play at all this year. Boeteng has been pursued in basketball by the likes of Duke and Kansas, but his future is probably in football. It is unsure if he'll make it to his scheduled NU visit on Oct.1st, but he definitely plans on visiting regardless. It's hard to tell about his chances. While it sounds bad, his injury may have backed enough top basketball programs that we could lure him to Lincoln. It is worth noting that Barry Collier has agreed to let him play on the basketball team too (doesn't cost them a scholarship anyway). Nyan lists us as his leader (over Maryland) after his visit. Nonetheless, he sounds like kind of a "flake". I would be skeptical of anything he says in interviews. Scheduled NU visit: 10/1/04 (KU). Update (10/13/04): I no longer get that impression. We are putting on the full-court (no pun intended) press to get him. You never know? By the way, his official camp vertical jump was 40"!!! Update (12/14/04): All indications point towards Nyan being a "silent" NU commitment. Expect his announcement at the U.S. Army All-Star game in early January.

OTHER OFFERS: USC, Michigan St, Iowa, Penn St, Maryland, Pittsburgh

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: D.J. Hord

CATEGORY: Realistic top-level WR target by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): ~~#12 WR~~, 4-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #13 WR)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #17 RB, 4-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #5 APB, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #12 WR, #95 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 6'-1"

WEIGHT: 195 lbs

SPEED: 4.4

HOMETOWN: Kansas City (Rockhurst), MO (???)

STATS: (Jr) Rec: 28 rec, 668 (23.9 ypc), 10 TD

NOTES: Have heard multiple rumors that he is a silent NU commit. Some sites call him a heavy OU lean, but with OU already securing 3 top-flight WRs in their class already, early playing time awaits D.J. in Lincoln should he choose Nebraska. His film showcases gamebreaking moves and speed. Maybe less polished than a guy like Turner, he appears to be more of an improviser. Scheduled for a late-year visit to NU. His latest update (from an OU site) didn't even list NU among his favorites. We shall see.

OTHER OFFERS: Oklahoma, LSU, Kansas St, Kansas, Wisconsin, Missouri, Okie St

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Brodrick Hunter

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA (10/4/05). Extremely realistic upper-tier target by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): ~~#33 WR~~, 3-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #35 WR)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): NR WR, 3-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #11 Flanker WR, 4.5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-1"

WEIGHT: 211 lbs

SPEED: 4.5

HOMETOWN: Humble, TX (???)

STATS: (Jr) Rec: 43 rec, 618 yds (14.4 ypc), 9 TD

NOTES: Scheduled NU visit: 10/1/04. Is considered a lock to commit on visit. Would be a nice pick-up for coaching staff. Scouting report states that he excels at yards after catch. A playmaker. Said to be a complete wide receiver...route running, hands, speed, acceleration. There is a pang of fear however, in that he sounds like a rather "soft" commit at this point. He also happens to be putting up HUGE numbers his senior year already, so that will attract some unwanted attention on him. Update (12/14/04): With as erratic and unpredictable as our WR recruiting has been, having Brodrick firmly committed has been a blessing. It sounds like he's well-suited to play inside receiver...willing to take a hit. Excellent.

OTHER OFFERS: Arizona, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Wisconsin, Oklahoma (per Insiders)

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Todd Nolen

CATEGORY: Realistic southern mid-tier WR prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): ~~#38 WR~~, 3-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #44 WR)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): NR WR, 3-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #41 Flanker WR, 4-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 185 lbs

SPEED: 4.5

HOMETOWN: Hampton, VA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Rec: 27 rec, 728 yds, 11 TD

NOTES: I love that we're going after this kid, not only for his ability, but where he's from and who we're competing with. Check his yards per catch also. His coach has had other top-flight prospects play for him and go on to the SEC and ACC, and he says this kid is the fastest of all. From same high school as Dre' Bly and Ronald Curry. Update (10/17/04): He is setting up official visits to his two favorites (NU and Virginia) some time in December. Will there still be a spot available for him by then? We shall see. Update (12/14/04): I'm not sure what happened here. We are pursuing a couple other kids pretty hard right now...is Todd a back-up plan? Who knows.

OTHER OFFERS: Virginia, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, North Carolina

PICTURES: (no picture available)

NAME: Roberto Wallace

CATEGORY: COMMITTED TO SAN DIEGO ST (10/21/04). Realistic middle-tier WR prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #46 WR, 3-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): UR WR, 3-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #34 Flanker WR, 4-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 190 lbs

SPEED: 4.6

HOMETOWN: Oceanside, CA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Rec: 25 rec, 495 yds (first season playing football)

NOTES: From same high school that produced former Huskers Michael and Dion Booker. Scheduled NU Visit: 9/3/04 (WIU). Came away impressed from our visit, giving it a "10" in an interview. He still lists NU as his leader. Updated (10/26/04): Staying close to home was the deciding factor.

OTHER OFFERS: Michigan St, Oregon St, Utah, San Diego St, Wyoming, Colorado St, Washington St

PICTURES: (from Insiders.com)

NAME: Anthony Crosby

CATEGORY: Realistic middle-tier "WR" prospect by NU staff. Projected as a S by NU coaches.

RATINGS (RIVALS): ~~#66 WR~~, 3-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #63 WR)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): UR WR, 3-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #34 Flanker WR, 4-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-0"

WEIGHT: 188 lbs

SPEED: 4.64 (at Stanford Nike Camp)

HOMETOWN: Stockton (St. Mary's), CA (???)

STATS: (Jr) Rec: 55 rec, 987 yds (17.9 ypc), 19 TDs; Def: 43 UT, 28 AT, 1 sack, 6 INTs

NOTES: Scheduled NU Visit: 9/3/04 (WIU). Came away impressed from our visit, as did his mother. Both gave the trip a "10". Both were most impressed with the quality of people and the diversity of the coaching staff. He still lists NU as his leader. Update (12/14/04): Sounds like NU has dropped him, or vice versa? No definitive answer, but him hanging up on callers for the Nebraska Insiders site isn't a good sign.

OTHER OFFERS: Arizona St, Boise St, San Diego St

PICTURES: (from Insiders.com)

NAME: Wallace Franklin

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

RATINGS (RIVALS): ~~#62 WR~~, 3-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #58 WR)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): NR WR, 3-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #21 Flanker WR, 4.5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 185 lbs

SPEED: 4.5

HOMETOWN: Beaumont, TX (???)

STATS: (Jr) Rec: 15 rec, 430 (28.7 ypc), 4 TD

NOTES: Scheduled along with teammate and friend Calvin Mickens before visiting officially. Considered an exciting prospect by our coaching staff, Franklin is every bit 6'-3" and has great speed and good hands. We feel we got a steal here. Though Mickens had better offers, Franklin is thought to have much more upside. Scheduled NU visit: 10/15/04 (BU).

OTHER OFFERS: Auburn, UTEP, UL-L, Tulsa

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

NAME: Brandon LaFell

CATEGORY: Solid middle-tier WR prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): ~~#54 WR~~, 3-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #52 WR)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): NR WR, 3-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #23 WR, 4-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 180 lbs

SPEED: 4.5

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

STATS: (Jr) Rec: 49 rec, 552 yds, 15 TD

NOTES: Pretty impressive offer list for a person of his rating. Clearly has no problem finding the endzone. For some reason I have a good feeling about him...can't put my finger on it. As of a 9/22/04 Rivals update, he named NU his leader. Coach Blake is heading up his recruitment, and big surprise, is his favorite coach to talk to. Update (10/13/04): ~~Scheduled NU visit: 10/30/04 (MU)~~. Update (10/17/04): It is noteworthy that Brandon is good friends with #1 TE prospect Martellus Bennett. They have talked about playing together in college. Brandon is a great prospect in his own right, but the opportunity to actually get a "package" deal with Bennett is too amazing to even wish for. Updated (10/26/04): Brandon has rescheduled his visit. Scheduled NU visit: 11/26/04 (CU). Update (12/14/04): Brandon really enjoyed his Missouri visit. I'm not sure here, and I don't think our coaching staff is either.

OTHER OFFERS: LSU, Missouri, Texas A&M, Colorado, Kansas, Arizona, Houston, Oklahoma State

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: B.J. Vickers (added 12/14/04)

CATEGORY: Realistic top-level JUCO WR target by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): 4-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): unknown

RATINGS (EMFINGER): not listed

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-3"

WEIGHT: 215 lbs

SPEED: 4.5

HOMETOWN: Santa Monica College, Santa Monica (JUCO)

STATS: (JUCO - So) Rec: 52 rec, 1022 yards, 13 TD

NOTES: Coach John Blake has known B.J. and his family for a while...they are friends. Right now I think B.J. favors California and Arizona, but if he makes his visit to NU (might be December 17th, or early January) you never know. B.J. is a big-time prospect, originally from Venice, CA. He signed with Louisville out of high school.

OTHER OFFERS: California, Arizona, Louisville, Utah, Washington, Hawaii

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

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

Fred Rouse (#1 WR by Rivals) - Tallahassee, FL

DeSean Jackson (#3 WR by Rivals) - Long Beach, CA

Eric Huggins (#4 WR by Rivals) - Conway, SC *OU COMMIT*

Mohamed Massaquoi (#5 WR by Rivals) - Charlotte, NC *GEORGIA COMMIT*

Malcolm Kelly (#7 WR by Rivals) - Longview, TX *OU COMMIT*

O.J. Murdock (#15 WR by Rivals) - Tampa, FL

Chris Brooks (#18 WR by Rivals) - Hazelwood, MO *MISSOURI COMMIT*

Manuel Johnson (#20 WR by Rivals) - Gilmer, TX *OU COMMIT*

Howard Morrow (#24 WR by Rivals) - Keller, TX *TEXAS A&M COMMIT*

Josh Briscoe (#34 WR by Rivals) - Lawndale, NC

David Nelson (#37 WR by Rivals) - Wichita Falls, TX *NOTRE DAME COMMIT*

Marquis Wilson (#58 WR by Rivals) - Draper, UT *UTAH COMMIT* Scheduled NU visit: 9/3/04 (WIU).

Brandon Woods (#26 ATH by Rivals) - Durham, NC *VIRGINIA COMMIT*

Daryl Jones (UR WR 3-stars by Rivals) - Spring, TX

Michael Johnson (UR WR/ATH 2-stars by Rivals) - Stockton, CA (No NU offer)

Stephen Benjamin (UR WR 2-stars by Rivals) - Chicago, IL

Elijah Theus, Jr. (UR WR 3-stars by Rivals) - Sugarland, TX

Tight Ends

Updated: 10/26/04

There is a noticeable void behind our starter, Matt Herian. This new offense is designed to feature the tight end prominently, and we hope to entice some top-end tight end prospects here. At this point, we appear to be a bit behind at this position, and our current commit at the position (Harvey) is slated to play DE at NU. We have come in hard after a couple top-notch prospects though lately.

NAME: Dajleon Farr

CATEGORY: Realistic ~~Outside~~ top-tier TE prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): #3 TE, #48 in Rivals100, 4-stars

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #1 TE, #10 in Top 100, 5-stars

RATINGS (EMFINGER): #2 Blocking TE, 5-stars

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): #2 TE, #34 in Top 100

HEIGHT: 6'-6"

WEIGHT: 235 lbs

SPEED: 4.5

HOMETOWN: Galena Park (North Shore), TX (???)

STATS: (Jr) Rec: 7 rec, 165 yds, 1 TD

NOTES: Must be a pretty impressive specimen, considering the offers and his junior numbers. Is used exclusively as a blocker in his high school offense. We came in relatively late for him, and put Coach Blake to work on him. Sounds like we've gained enough ground that we might get an official visit from him. Our work is cut out for us here, but you never know if we get him to visit. Updated (10/26/04): Through a quick series of events, we got his second official visit on short notice, after OU. He had been keeping his favorites quiet, but today we finally learned his top group. At this point, OU, NU and USC are probably his top three, with LSU and UT (remarkably) on the outside looking in. Honestly, I have the hunch that this one will come down to OU and NU. Hopefully we have a great atmosphere vs. Missouri to impress him into a major steal for NU! Scheduled NU visit: 10/29/04 (MU). Update (12/14/04): Dajleon dropped NU before we even started pursuing him. Rumor has it we weren't prepared to compensate him for his $ervices. I'm glad. Our coaching staff recruits well enough as it is, without resorting to cheating.

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

PICTURES: (from Rivals.com)

NAME: Richard Gordon

CATEGORY: Distant top-tier TE prospect by NU staff.

RATINGS (RIVALS): ~~#4 TE~~, #98 in Rivals100, 4-stars (Updated 10/19/04: #5 TE)

RATINGS (INSIDERS): #16 DE, 4-stars

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

RATINGS (LEMMING/ESPN): not listed

HEIGHT: 6'-4"

WEIGHT: 242 lbs

SPEED: 4.63 (at Miami Nike Camp)