Nebraska’s 2019 recruiting class came from all over the country.
The Huskers signed wide receivers from Kentucky, Washington and Oklahoma. They signed offensive linemen from Minnesota and Texas, Nebraska and Colorado.
They doubled up on defensive backs from Georgia and Arizona.
Far and wide, the search for playmakers went. In all, NU signed players from 16 different states. Nebraska led the way with five, then Georgia with four and Arizona with three. Ten states supplied exactly one player for the Husker class.
One curious omission: Florida.
Not only is the Sunshine State among the most talent-rich in the country, but the entire Nebraska coaching staff had only one year earlier left a stint working at Central Florida. Not only that, but several of the staffers are either from the state originally or worked there extensively.
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An anomaly or a problem?
Well, the 2020 class has answered that question resoundingly.
Heading into National Signing Day on Wednesday, the Husker class stands at 20 known verbal commitments, including 18 who are expected to sign their National Letters of Intent. Of that group, five are Florida players.
As signing day progresses, Nebraska will be in the mix to land additional signatures from four-star wide receiver Marcus Fleming (Miami) and four-star defensive back Jaiden Francois (Homestead), both of whom are expected to announce their decisions Wednesday morning and both of whom have the Huskers squarely among their finalists.
Fleming is also considering Georgia, Miami, Florida and Maryland. Francois appears to be down to the Huskers or Hurricanes.
Regardless of what each chooses, it’s clear the connection and roots between Scott Frost’s staff and Florida remain strong.
“That’s what Coach Frost really wants is some kids from down South to come up there and bring some swagger to the team and help turn the program around,†said Tamon Lynum, a Nebraska commit from Orlando. “That’s what we’re all going to do. There’s a bunch of us from Florida and we’re going to come up there and change that thing around real quick.â€
Lynum was the first of the Florida players to join the class, verbally committing shortly after he took his official visit back in June.
“The coaches, they don’t do too much to try to convince you, they just be themselves,†Lynum said. “They make you feel comfortable, they don’t put too much pressure on you. They just treat me so well. …
“Coach Frost, he’s just a real cool, laid-back dude. He’s someone that I want to play for. That man is a great guy.â€
That summer weekend, Lynum was joined on campus by a bunch of highly recruited players from around the country — fellow commits Omar Manning (Texas) and Sevion Morrison (Oklahoma) plus several others — but at that time NU’s class consisted of quarterback Logan Smothers from Alabama, receiver Zavier Betts (Nebraska) and tackle Turner Corcoran (Kansas). The next three players to join the class were from Kansas, South Dakota and Iowa.
But then running back Marvin Scott III (Port Orange, Florida) jumped on board in August. Defensive back Henry Gray (Miami) in September. Another Miami defensive back, Ronald Delancy III, in October.
The biggest surprise of all, perhaps, was linebacker Keyshawn Greene (Crawfordville, Florida), who decommitted from Florida State earlier this month and picked Nebraska over Miami on Sunday.
Several of Nebraska’s coaches have worked extensively in Florida over the years. Outside linebackers coach Jovan Dewitt, for example, worked at Florida International before UCF and has recruited there for years. Running backs coach Mario Verduzco and Ryan Held have been through the area plenty. Inside linebackers coach Barrett Ruud played much of his professional career in Tampa.
But tight ends coach Sean Beckton and secondary coach Travis Fisher lead the way in terms of connections to the state.
Both are Central Florida graduates. Beckton spent 19 total years there, while Fisher was born and raised in Tallahassee, played for the Knights and tallied four total years on their staff after his lengthy NFL career.
They teamed up to find Lynum.
“Coach Beck came to see me in February and then Coach Fish came back in May to watch me practice,†Lynum said. “That’s the first time I ever met Coach Fish or saw him was that day that he came out. That was the same day he offered me.â€
Later in the cycle, Fisher, a straightforward operator whose social media presence is rare, provided a clue to his mindset.
“Big couple of days in Florida recruiting!!!!,†he tweeted on Nov. 9. “Huskers we will get some of the best to Lincoln TRUST!!! And I don’t talk much on Twitter.â€
A week later, Fleming, Francois, four-star receiver Bryan Robinson and four-star defensive back Kendall Dennis were all on campus as official visitors.
While none has pulled the trigger yet, Fleming and Francois could on Wednesday — and Fisher played a pivotal role in landing Greene from near his own hometown.
It’s too early to tell exactly how many players the 2021 class and beyond will feature from Florida, but Fort Lauderdale native RJ Sorensen was NU’s first pledge for 2021. Lynum thinks the connection is only getting started.
“If at least we win like seven or eight games, we don’t even have to be great. If we win eight or seven, I think that’s going to catch a lot of people’s attention,†he said. “Like, what other school do you know that went 5-7 and has all these recruits about to come?â€
2020 Husker football recruits
2020 Husker football recruits
Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown (School) | Stars |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zavier Betts | WR | 6-2 | 190 | Omaha (Bellevue West) | **** |
Marquis Black | DL | 6-4 | 280 | McDonough, Ga. (Eagle's Landing) | *** |
Alante Brown | WR | 6-0 | 190 | Chicago (Simeon) | **** |
Jimari Butler | OLB | 6-5 | 215 | Mobile, Ala. (Murphy) | *** |
Alex Conn | OT | 6-6 | 280 | Derby, Kansas | *** |
Niko Cooper | OLB | 6-5 | 220 | Memphis, Tenn. (Hutchinson C.C.) | *** |
Turner Corcoran | OT | 6-6 | 280 | Lawrence, Kan. (Free State) | **** |
Ronald Delancy III | DB | 5-11 | 190 | Miami (Northwestern) | *** |
Marcus Fleming | WR | 5-10 | 160 | Miami, Fla. (Northwestern) | **** |
Jaiden Francois | CB | 6-0 | 185 | Homestead, Fla. | **** |
Henry Gray | DB | 6-0 | 175 | Miami (Central) | **** |
Keyshawn Greene | LB | 6-3 | 205 | Crawfordville, Fla. (Wakulla) | **** |
Blaise Gunnerson | OLB | 6-5 | 250 | Carroll, Iowa (Kuemper) | **** |
Nash Hutmacher | DT | 6-5 | 305 | Chamberlain, South Dakota | *** |
Tamon Lynum | DB | 6-2 | 170 | Orlando, Fla. (Evans) | *** |
Omar Manning | WR | 6-4 | 225 | Lancaster, Texas (Kilgore College) | **** |
Eteva Mauga-Clements | ILB | 6-2 | 210 | Pleasant Hill, Calif. (Diablo Vall. College) | *** |
Sevion Morrison | RB | 6-0 | 200 | Tulsa, Oklahoma (Edison) | **** |
William Nixon | WR | 5-11 | 185 | Waco, Texas (Midway) | *** |
Pheldarius Payne | DE | 6-3 | 270 | Suffolk, Va. (Lackawanna CC) | *** |
Jordon Riley | DE | 6-5 | 300 | Durhan, N.C. (Garden City C.C.) | *** |
Marvin Scott III | RB | 5-9 | 205 | Port Orange, Fla. (Spruce Creek) | *** |
Logan Smothers | QB | 6-2 | 180 | Muscle Shoals, Ala. | **** |