Nebraska added a pair of tight ends to its 2021 recruiting class last week in four-star Thomas Fidone (Council Bluffs, Iowa) and three-star A.J. Rollins (Creighton Prep), giving the offensive side of the Huskers’ class verbal commitments at every position.
The lone remaining group that still doesn’t have any commits is along the defensive line, but there is no shortage of prospects there.
Some of the names have been in the picture for NU for quite a while. For instance, three-star Mandela Tobin (San Diego) included the Huskers in his top five on Tuesday morning and has been high on Nebraska for several months even though he hasn’t yet been able to visit.
“I would say I’m in a really good position and I’m really happy with where my recruitment’s at right now,†said Tobin, who’s about 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds, and also has Kansas State, Kansas, Nevada and Fresno State in his top group.
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Here are my Top 5 schools! I want to thank, first and foremost, God, my family, friends, and coaches for helping get to this point. My recruitment is still 100% open!
— Mandela Tobin🇳🇬 WeMatter (@MandelaTobin)
Ru’Quan Buckley (Grand Rapids, Michigan) told the Journal Star on Tuesday that he stays in consistent communication with the NU coaching staff among a bunch of schools still pushing for his commitment, which he plans to finalize in October.
“I’m staying in contact with (Nebraska) all the time,†Buckley said. “I love the coaches.â€
Tobin first picked up an offer in April and has seen his recruitment take off since the coronavirus pandemic — and subsequent NCAA recruiting dead period — began. That’s made it hard for him to actually see schools, but he’s built good relationships nonetheless.
“It’s definitely been a very different experience for sure, because taking only virtual visits instead of actual visits is something you don’t really see that much, especially when everything is normal,†Tobin said. “But since COVID, you have to improvise and everything, so I’ve just been doing as much as I can and researching every school I’ve got an offer from.â€
Tobin said he’s been hearing from six to eight schools consistently and pared down from there. NU defensive coordinator Erik Chinander is in contact regularly, and defensive line coach Tony Tuioti checks in from time to time, too.
“They see my really good get-off off the ball on film, and that’s what they love,†Tobin said. “They also like my wingspan — I have really long arms, so I use that to my advantage against offensive linemen when I’m trying to separate myself from offensive linemen to make a play.â€
Tobin said he’d like to be able to take visits this fall, but if that doesn’t look like a possibility, he could see himself making a decision in the next month or two.
Buckley said his top group consists of Nebraska, Michigan State, Minnesota, Florida State, Oregon and Cincinnati. The versatile lineman’s senior season in Michigan has been put on hold until the spring — though some reporting on Monday suggested a season could still happen this fall — but he still feels good about where his recruitment stands currently.
“I was hoping to show a lot of aggressiveness and being coachable,†Buckley said of his postponed senior season. “I just was looking to show everyone I should be Number 1 in my position. Also, this offseason I got better on my quickness and hands, also being coachable and being a leader on my team.â€
It’s unclear how many defensive linemen the Huskers will try to take in the 2021 class. NU has just one senior currently in Ben Stille, but has six scholarship juniors. Of course, the NCAA’s blanket eligibility ruling means at least some of those players could be around longer than expected.
In addition to Tobin and Buckley, NU has offers out to several players who remain uncommitted, such as defensive tackles Michael Mokofisi (Woods Cross, Utah), Marlin Dean (Bradenton, Florida) and Luther McCoy (St. Augustine, Florida), and defensive linemen such as Robert Jackson (Warminster, Pennsylvania), Jaden Jones (Montgomery, Alabama) and Jailen Weaver (Antioch, California).