The recruiting dead period has been anything but for Nebraska.
Scott Frost’s program landed its second verbal commitment for the 2019 class in the past three days and fourth in the past month when defensive end Mosai Newsom (Waverly, Iowa) announced his pledge to the Huskers on Monday morning.
Committed
— Mosai Newsom (@newsom_5)
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"My family has kept me grounded and helped guide me," Newsom wrote on Twitter as part of his announcement. "They have sacrificed so much to help me achieve my goals. I also want to thank my (Waverly-Shell Rock High School) family. The support that I have received from everyone has been amazing. I come from one of the best communities in the state of Iowa.
"I believe that the university that I have chosen will further me in my faith, in the classroom and on the football field. I am super excited to announce that I am committed to the University of Nebraska!"
Newsom, rated a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247Sports, made several visits to Lincoln over the course of the spring, but his recruitment, at least publicly, had been somewhat quiet in recent weeks.
"I used this July to just think and pray on things and workout with my team and get ready for the fall," Newsom told the Journal Star. "Over the month, I just decided and my mind was made up that I wanted to go to Nebraska."
Newsom was coveted around the Big Ten, but Erik Chinander worked hard to help lure the 6-foot-5, 260-pound end out of Waverly-Shell Rock, just miles from where the NU defensive coordinator grew up and just about 100 miles from Iowa City.
Newsom had an offer from the Hawkeyes, Northwestern, Michigan State and Minnesota, among others.
"It was really just a blessing to be able to go through this," he said. "I’ve been working for this for a long time and my parents have been preparing me for this. I’m so thankful to be in this situation."
He forged a close relationship with the coaching staff — Chinander and defensive line coach Mike Dawson in particular — and the Husker program, though, when he visited for back-to-back junior days during spring ball and also the Red-White Spring Game.
"(Dawson)’s an awesome person and an awesome coach," Newsom said, adding that the staff sees him as a versatile player who can eventually project to multiple spots. "I got to sit in on one of the defensive line meetings and watch a practice, too, and I really enjoyed how he coached and how things go at Nebraska with the defensive line.
"I’m a three-sport athlete and they think that, once I’m focusing just on football, that I can continue to develop a lot."
Newsom is the 14th verbal commit for Nebraska this cycle. He joins tackle Matthew Anderson (Leesville, Louisiana), defensive tackle Tony Fair (Pima Community College in Arizona) and linebacker Nick Henrich (Omaha Burke) as players who have committed since camp season ended in late June, which typically kicks off the slowest month in college football.
Newsom did sneak one extra visit to Lincoln in during an otherwise quiet summer for him. His younger brothers participated in youth football camps in June, so he came along and spent some more time on an unofficial visit with the coaching staff.
"I didn’t let anybody know, but I decided low-key to come back again," Newsom said of the under-the-radar trip.
Now, everybody knows what his future holds.
"I’m so excited," he said. "It’s such a relief (to be done with recruiting) but I’m so excited to get to represent the University of Nebraska and say that I’m going to be a Cornhusker."
2019 Husker football recruits
Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown (School) | Stars |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Matthew Anderson | OT | 6-7 | 250 | Leesville, La. | *** |
Brant Banks | DL | 6-8 | 285 | Houston (Westbury Christian) | *** |
Bryce Benhart | OT | 6-9 | 305 | Lakeville, Minn. (North) | **** |
Desmond Bland | OL | 6-4 | 300 | Flossmoor, Ill. (Arizona Western C.C.) | **** |
Darien Chase | WR | 6-1 | 175 | Vancouver, Wash. (Union) | **** |
Myles Farmer | DB | 6-3 | 180 | Atlanta (Westlake) | *** |
Jimmy Fritzsche | OL | 6-7 | 250 | Greenville, S.C. | *** |
Jamin Graham | OLB | 6-6 | 240 | Attalla, Ala. (Etowah) | *** |
Jackson Hannah | ILB | 6-3 | 220 | Nashville, Tenn. (Montgomery Bell) | **** |
Nick Henrich | ILB | 6-4 | 210 | Omaha (Burke) | **** |
Chris Hickman | TE | 6-5 | 220 | Omaha (Burke) | *** |
Rahmir Johnson | RB | 5-10 | 170 | Oradell, N.J. (Bergen Catholic) | **** |
Michael Lynn | OT | 6-7 | 300 | Englewood, Colo. (Cherry Creek) | *** |
Luke McCaffrey | QB | 6-3 | 185 | Littleton, Colo. (Valor Christian) | *** |
Dedrick Mills | RB | 5-10 | 227 | Waycross, Ga. (Garden City C.C.) | *** |
Jamie Nance | WR | 6-0 | 170 | Blanchard, Okla. | *** |
Garrett Nelson | OLB | 6-3 | 235 | Scottsbluff | *** |
Mosai Newsom | DE | 6-5 | 260 | Waverly, Iowa (Waverly-Shell Rock) | *** |
Quinton Newsome | DB | 6-2 | 180 | Suwanee, Ga. (North Gwinnett) | *** |
Ethan Piper | DL | 6-4 | 275 | Norfolk (Catholic) | *** |
Ty Robinson | DE | 6-6 | 285 | Gilbert, Ariz. (Higley) | **** |
Wandale Robinson | RB | 5-9 | 180 | Frankfort, Ky. (Western Hills) | **** |
Garrett Snodgrass | ATH | 6-3 | 225 | York | *** |
Ronald Thompkins | RB | 6-0 | 203 | Loganville, Ga. (Grayson) | *** |
Javin Wright | DB | 6-3 | 195 | Chandler, Ariz. (Hamilton) | *** |