Football season is long over in Lincoln and only a few bowl games remain. But you can still catch a glimpse of the Nebraska football future by turning on the television Saturday afternoon.Â
That’s because a pair of the Cornhuskers’ class of 2020 signees are playing in the All-American Bowl, broadcast live at noon Saturday on NBC from San Antonio.
The two playing: offensive lineman Turner Corcoran from Lawrence, Kansas, and linebacker Keyshawn Greene of Crawfordville, Florida. Both are suiting up for the East team in the annual high school all-star game. A third, outside linebacker Blaise Gunnerson, was invited and planned to travel to San Antonio for the festivities but is not participating in the practices or the game itself as he continues to rehabilitate from postseason hip surgery.
Defensive back Henry Gray was invited to the Under Armour All-America Game, scheduled for Thursday evening in Orlando, but is not participating. It was not immediately clear why Gray isn’t playing, but he’s expected to arrive on campus in Lincoln — along with Corcoran, Gunnerson and six others — next week as midyear enrollees.
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Corcoran, of course, was one of the earliest members of Nebraska’s 2020 class, and Greene was among the final additions.
Both have earned praise from the recruiting services in attendance in the runup to Saturday’s game, cracking a 247Sports list of 10 standouts from the early portions of practice, for instance.
Corcoran, who verbally pledged to Nebraska back in April, is considered by Rivals and 247Sports as one of the best offensive tackle prospects in the country for the 2020 class. He is the No. 42 prospect nationally and the No. 3 offensive tackle according to 247Sports and checks in No. 58 and No. 7, respectively, by Rivals. Given his lofty ratings, it’s certainly not impossible that, with a strong showing this week in San Antonio, that he could be bumped up to five-star status by one of the recruiting services.
Greene, meanwhile, verbally committed at the end of his official visit on Dec. 15 and signed his national letter of intent three days later. After mostly playing outside linebacker at Wakulla High, he projects as an inside linebacker at Nebraska.
He is held in similarly high regard by the recruiting services, considered the No. 121 overall player in the nation by 247Sports and No. 197 by Rivals. Greene is listed at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, and was considered one of the fastest linebackers in the state of Florida this year.
Gunnerson can’t play, but he and Greene form the foundational layer of group of linebacker signees that features five players and what projects to be an influx of athleticism.
Gunnerson, who underwent surgeries on both hips to repair a genetic overgrowth of his hip bones, told the Journal Star last month his goal is to be completely healthy by spring ball.Â
“The more the merrier at linebacker. I want the competition. I don’t want it to be a cakewalk,†Gunnerson said in December. “I think the more guys we can get in there, the more guys that are getting better. I know that they don’t just keep main guys at outside linebacker position. They’d like to have multiple guys rotating in, and I understand that.
“I think I’m going to have a chance to play early anyway, no matter what happens.â€
This is the second straight year Nebraska has been well-represented in the game. Last year, wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson, defensive back Noa Pola-Gates, defensive lineman Ty Robinson and offensive tackle Bryce Benhart all played.Â
A couple of other notes around the game: Four-star defensive back Darion Green-Warren (Harbor City, California) is set to make his announcement during the game. Green-Warren has been recruited hard by Nebraska and took an official visit in mid-November, though Michigan is widely considered the favorite.
Some regional underclassmen are taking part in the All-American Bowl combine in San Antonio this week, a workout and practice event for 2021 prospects. Among the participants: four-star tight end Thomas Fidone (Council Bluffs, Iowa) and four-star outside linebacker T.J. Bollers (Tiffin, Iowa), a pair of key early 2021 Husker targets.