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Class of 2018, who steps up?

Trying to get some real football discussion going here with football being over. While everyone is excited for signing day, it got me thinking about how everyone likes the "shiny new toy" we are bringing in, but typically it's the guys that are in year 2 with the program and have had a chance to be in our S&C program that are going to "surprise" us and help us out. Not the true freshmen.

We had 25 commits for the 2018 class... Willie Canty, Will Jackson, Greg Bell, Justin McGriff, and Dominick Watt are all no longer with us, or didn't make it here. That takes us down to 25. Unfortunately, we also had 7 season ending injuries in that group. However, with our strength staff and the doctors we employ, along with modern medicine, hoping they bounce back even better than they were. Unfortunately, I am going to be leaving Martinez and Pickering off as they already start. But who are you expecting big things from in year 2 with our team?

Miles Jones and Maurice Washington - Gone is Greg Bell. That's fine, don't need anyone that takes his ball and goes home. While he was trying to convince Frost to let him back on the team, Washington slowly asserted himself and should enter 2019 as the #1 back. If he takes the leap most year 2 guys do, watch out. As he has a QB that knows how to distribute the ball. Hoping that he is healed from his knee injury. Miles Jones also shut himself down with his injury. This will be an interesting one to watch. At RB, if you don't practice/play, you are recruited over in a hurry. But this kid has the tools to be very good in our offense.

Jaron Woodyard, Katerian Legrone, Mike Williams, and Andre Hunt - Gone are Justin McGriff, Dominick Watt didn't make it, and we are going to figure out if we like LeGrone at TE or WR this spring. LeGrone is someone we are excited about. Jaron Woodyard is the best chance for a senior to start in 2019 on offense. The staff badly wants Mike WIlliams to be consistent based on his work in the weight room, and if Hunt can be consistent he could be the dark horse here. Long story short, sounds like consistency is the key. Sometimes that's not difficult to correct, other times it's a career-ending issue.

Will Farniok and Cam Jurgens - Gone is Willie Canty. Will Farniok seems to be the forgotten man at OL, and he could surprise quite a few people. Center is going to be a dog fight. Especially when you throw 4 star Cam Jurgens shifting down to center in the mix. When he was recruited, you remember me saying I liked him better at OLB, but if he had to be a TE, he would be our blocking guy. I never once thought about shifting him to OL, but this staff may have found something. I still have a hard time believing that putting on 50 pounds, learning the point position and the scheme, and getting everyone in the right call is a tall task to be starting for 2019. However, more than one staffer isn't ruling it out.

Tate Wildeman and Casey Rogers - Lost no one due to grades or transfer, but unfortunately lost both of these guys to season ending injuries so not a ton of info. I was pumped for Wildeman coming out of high school. But i've also heard that Rogers may have the highest ceiling. Good news is we return a ton of DEs to let these guys "get right" for 2020 while gaining experience when they are healthy in 2019.

Caleb Tannor, David Alston, and Breon Dixon - We "lost" Jean-Baptiste to Ohio State. But Tannor is the guy i'm interested in seeing what happens year 2. His quickness/speed just couldn't translate to Power5 football until we put some mass on him. Alston was a bit injured this past fall. If Dixon can get off the field stuff ironed out, he has the best upside. I watched that guy murder people at practice (should I use that since everyone takes my stuff literal? He didn't murder 50 people I guess). This is a big year for these 3, and a massive spring.

Cam Taylor and Braxton Clark - I'll be curious to see how Cam Taylor looks year 2, excellent chance to really get better in year 2 considering he was a QB in high school. Braxton Clark is another guy we need to see what we have, he shows flashes of being an absolute stud. But the common theme with young guys is consistency.

Cam Jones, CJ Smith,and Deontai Williams - You have to assume that Deontai Williams will be manning one of the safety spots next fall. I would caution people, that knowing where to be is the most important piece, so if he gets that ironed out, pencil him in. If he doesn't, there's a chance Pola-Gates or Smith/Jones could overtake him. Smith and Jones both suffered season ending knee injuries, so it's tough to say what we have. We had what Frost thought was a top safety class in the nation in 2018, but with 66% of them getting injured, i'll be curious how we get out of it.

So what say you? Who are you looking to have step up? I say Tannor on my end, with honorable mention going to Deontai Williams, Cam Taylor, Andre Hunt, and Jaron Woodyard.
 
What ever happened to Jaevon McQuitty? Someone needs to step up at WR and I am confident that somebody will because Spielman can't do it all.

My pick for the biggest step up guy is Caleb Tannor. Another year in the system and in the weight room will have that position back to one of strength.
 
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Big winter for Tannor to crush S&C, needs to get bigger and stronger while retaining his quickness.. Absolutely need to be able to put more pressure on QBs next year.
 
What ever happened to Jaevon McQuitty? Someone needs to step up at WR and I am confident that somebody will because Spielman can't do it all.

My pick for the biggest step up guy is Caleb Tannor. Another year in the system and in the weight room will have that position back to one of strength.
McQuitty, Hunt, Woodyard, all have big springs. Are you going to let a walk-on start in front of you? What about a true freshman like Nance? We will process guys in a hurry.
 



If and that’s a big “if” JoJo Domann slides back to strong safety and Deontai Williams continues to improve, that’s not a bad duo at the safety position. However, depth behind those two guys isn't nonexistent but it is unproven. If Domann is needed at the LB position then the safety position is a bigger concern.

(1) Cam Jones (6’0” 200) was injured/never saw the field and (2) CJ Smith (6’2” 205) saw limited PT in two games and his most notable plays were two penalties and his injury. (3) Marquel Dismuke (6’2” 200) is also an option but needs to figure out the cerebral aspect of the position (and the game).

The OP was quick to mention (4) Noa Pola-Gates (5’11” 180) but I believe people are sleeping on the fact that Nebraska has two very solid safety prospects from the 2019 class - Myles Farmer (5) (6’3” 185) and (6) Quinton Newsome (6’2” 180). Both are from Georgia and both played in the GA’s biggest class and are fast, strong and solid head smashers.

Nebraska needs a strong spring from this position group and I believe we will see guys from both the 2018 and 2019 class heavily in the mix.
 



know he is in this years class, but Mills really needs to come in and produce. Dont think he needs Ziggy type numbers but 600-700 would help alot...and also be effective in short yardage situations
 
I think it depends on what someone is looking for. I think the guys us fans will notice most will be Washington and whomever emerges as TE.

I think the defense though will be were the real boost will come from, I just know how noticeable it will be because I think the defense will be average overall. I think Breon will be a standout and I think we get a little extra pressure from Tate.

The defense will need this year to come together better and get some guys healthy/experience playing in the same system with the same coaches. I think 2020 we will be seriously dangerous all around.
 
Tannor and Washington are, to me, the easy choices because you could see both the ability and the need for a cycle in the weight room for both those guys. I'd like to think Dixon sees the opportunity in front of him. We might just be able to quit bemoaning OLB play If Dixon gets it together off the field and Tannor adds the physicality to go with his speed and quickness.

I also think one of the receivers will step up in a big way, but have no idea which one it will be. I do tend to think Legrone will be a big factor at whatever position he ends up playing.
 
I'm hoping to see something that's been missing for awhile in the program: Development.

Some of the guys on your list should make big strides. To be honest a couple of them were big recruits that I almost forgot about. We'll see how good Frost's program really is in year two and three.
 



Katerian Legrone. We need another Matt Herian or Gronk like threat that must be accounted for.

Agree. Unless Stoll can find some speed, he’s not that guy. Like to see Legeone or Allen step up...if course no block/no rock applies to all of them.
 

If and that’s a big “if” JoJo Domann slides back to strong safety and Deontai Williams continues to improve, that’s not a bad duo at the safety position. However, depth behind those two guys isn't nonexistent but it is unproven. If Domann is needed at the LB position then the safety position is a bigger concern.

(1) Cam Jones (6’0” 200) was injured/never saw the field and (2) CJ Smith (6’2” 205) saw limited PT in two games and his most notable plays were two penalties and his injury. (3) Marquel Dismuke (6’2” 200) is also an option but needs to figure out the cerebral aspect of the position (and the game).

The OP was quick to mention (4) Noa Pola-Gates (5’11” 180) but I believe people are sleeping on the fact that Nebraska has two very solid safety prospects from the 2019 class - Myles Farmer (5) (6’3” 185) and (6) Quinton Newsome (6’2” 180). Both are from Georgia and both played in the GA’s biggest class and are fast, strong and solid head smashers.

Nebraska needs a strong spring from this position group and I believe we will see guys from both the 2018 and 2019 class heavily in the mix.
I think we have the same depth problems at OLB and Safety, so I will be curious what they do with Domann. We have much more talent at safety (if injuries are healed), as we have had back to back classes (2018/2019) where safety was a top 3 position. Where OLB, we have a ton of unknown and not a ton of "star power". If we keep Domann and Ferguson starting, Tannor and Dixon situational, it gives us a decent base there with Alex Davis working his tail off to get in the mix.
 

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