Tight end Michael Burt: Coach Matt Rhule has dominated recruiting inside the state’s borders for two cycles and landed the top in-state tight end, Carter Nelson, for the 2024 class. Burt, a 6-foot-6, 250-pounder out of Omaha Creighton Prep, would have made a nice inline complement to Nelson’s skills. Fact is, NU barely recruited Burt until he went to a camp near St. Louis and earned an invitation to a camp at Iowa. There, he got a scholarship that he eventually accepted. Does Iowa know how to spot tight end talent? Does a ribeye steak taste good?
Defensive tackle Carlon Jones: This highly-productive, undersized defensive tackle from Bay City (Texas) High School had a monster senior year — 17 sacks, 30 tackles for loss — and chose to reopen his recruitment late in the year. Nebraska effectively cut him loose to take his visits to schools like Ohio State and USC before Jones settled on the Trojans. Jones plays a little high off the snap, but he’s a real pass-rushing talent.
Running back Kewan Lacy: Originally committed to Nebraska in June before embarking on an impressive senior year at Lancaster (Texas) High School. Lacy decommitted from NU in late October with an eye toward going to Mississippi or Alabama before settling, somewhat surprisingly, on Missouri, which produced 1,500-yard rusher Cody Schrader in 2023. The Huskers had no immediate Plan B for the class, either. Odd.
Edge rusher Jayshawn Ross: Kansas City has become a recruiting hotbed in the last decade, but Ross flew under the radar just enough, over the summer, that it seemed like Nebraska may snag a commit from the 6-foot-4, 220-pounder who plays at Liberty (Mo.) North High School alongside Keelan Smith. Nope. Ross extended his recruitment into the winter and eventually picked Alabama. NU seems to love its pass rushing options, but Ross would have been a nice get.
Offensive lineman Andrew Sprague: Big-time tackle out of Kansas City Rockhurst who considered Nebraska but eventually landed at Michigan, which does a nice job of recruiting the KC area. NU should always aim for getting the best linemen in the region; the battle between Sprague and Husker signee Grant Brix is neck-and-neck.
