2017 recruiting class update: Visiting period brings craziness for Nebraska
In the past week, Nebraska has been embarrassed on national television, gotten lucky with a wide receiver de-committing from Ohio State and remains nervous about its top prospect after a USC receiver de-committed and made more room for said prospect.
January means crunch time in recruiting, and crunch time means craziness.
To recap, here’s how Nebraska reached its 15 commitments, who plans on visiting Lincoln soon, and what is next for the 2017 class.
Who has taken official visits?
(bolded names denote committed players)
Sept. 3, 2016
- Tristan Gebbia – 4-star quarterback commit
- Jaylon Redd – 4-star corner; committed to Oregon
- Thomas Graham – same as Redd
- Keyshawn Johnson Jr. – 3-star wide receiver commit
- Foster Sarell – 5-star offensive tackle
- Jamire Calvin – 4-star wide receiver
- Damion Daniels – 3-star defensive tackle still heavily considering Nebraska
- Avery Roberts – 4-star linebacker commit and early enrollee
- Jaylen Kelly-Powell – 4-star safety; committed to Michigan
- Donovan Peoples-Jones – 5-star wide receiver; committed to Michigan
Sept. 17, 2016
- Alaric Williams – 4-star wide receiver; committed to Auburn
- Andrew Ward – 3-star linebacker commit
- Trajon Cotton – 3-star safety; not hot on Nebraska any more
- Deiontae Watts – 3-star defensive tackle commit
- Robert Porcher IV: 3-star defensive tackle and former commit; wants to stay closer to home in Orlando, Fla., so he de-committed from Nebraska
- Austin Allen – 3-star tight end commit
- Matt Sichterman – 3-star offensive tackle commit
- Willie Hampton – 3-star outside linebacker commit
Oct. 1, 2016
- Isaiah Hodgins – 4-star wide receiver; committed to Oregon State
- Jaylon Johnson – 4-star wide receiver; committed to Utah
- Joseph Lewis – 5-star wide receiver; leaning heavily toward USC
- Chevin Calloway – 4-star corner; former Iowa commit, but is looking more toward Arkansas
- Rahyme Johnson – 4-star linebacker
- Jaevon McQuitty – 4-star wide receiver commit
- Broc Bando – 3-star offensive guard commit
Oct. 22, 2016
- Greg Johnson – 4-star athlete, No. 1 athlete in the 2017 class; leaning toward USC
- Taariq Johnson – 4-star wide receiver; committed to Cal
Nov. 12, 2016
- Jaquan Henderson – 3-star safety; committed to Tennessee
- Quran Hafiz – 3-star corner
- Kamren Curl – 3-star wide receiver and corner; Nebraska made his top 6
Nov. 19, 2016
- Jeremiah Holloman – 4-star wide receiver; committed to Georgia
Dec. 7, 2016
- Corrion Ballard – 4-star safety; committed to Utah
Dec. 9, 2016
- Ben Miles – 3-star fullback commit
- Isaac Slade-Matautia – 4-star outside linebacker; was visited by ex-defensive coordinator Mark Banker during visiting period
- Gavin Holmes – 3-star wide receiver
Who has official visits scheduled?
Jan. 13, 2017
- Kurt Rafdal – 3-star tight end; recently de-committed from Indiana
Jan. 20, 2017
- Deommodore Lenoir – 4-star corner; former Oregon commit
- Brenden Jaimes – 3-star offensive tackle commit
Jan. 21, 2017
- Bryan Thompson – 3-star wide receiver; committed to Cal
Who is expected to enroll early?
All five of Nebraska’s early enrollees are on campus: Gebbia, McQuitty, Johnson, Bando and Roberts.
Are any commitments wavering?
Deontre Thomas, a 3-star offensive tackle from Oklahoma, told Land of 10 this week that he’s looking for a “plan B” school. Oklahoma and Notre Dame are recruiting him hard, he said, so he’s looking into those schools as well. He was just visited by defensive line coach John Parrella and remains committed to Nebraska. But something to keep an eye on.
What is this week’s best guess?
Either Tyjon Lindsey or Jamire Calvin commit.
The saga of these two wide receivers has been long, and weird, and will probably come to a close sooner rather than later.
Lindsey, a 4-star wide receiver, de-committed from Ohio State this week amid concerns about where he would fit into Ohio State’s offense. Plus, he had a spat with 5-star quarterback commit Tate Martell.
Nebraska was No. 2 on Lindsey’s list when he committed to the Buckeyes in August, which means Nebraska is the frontrunner to land him. He is supposed to receive an in-home visit from Nebraska coaches this weekend. That may be enough to swing him.
With Calvin, it will depend on how much Nebraska wants to invest in trying to recruit a kid who embarrassed them on national television. Calvin was a silent commit to Nebraska for months, but he changed his mind two days before the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and committed to Oregon State, a school that hadn’t been in his top 4 a few days earlier.
Calvin and Nebraska should visit this weekend, if not early next weekend. It is anyone’s guess what will come from that meeting.
