Last season, the Cornhuskers finished third in the Big Ten recruiting rankings, right behind conference mainstays Michigan and Ohio State.
Nebraska recruiting 2013: Middle of the Big Ten so far
Can Bo Pelini pick things up to where they were last year?
Eric Francis
To recruit at that same level this year, Bo Pelini and his staff have a ton of work to do -- according to the 247sports composite, Nebraska’s 2014 class rates at 7th best in the Big Ten, behind the likes of Northwestern, Penn State, Wisconsin and Michigan State, and not by a small margin, either.
Penn State, Wisconsin and Northwestern all have three four-star recruits committed to Nebraska’s none, while Michigan State’s class is both bigger and higher rated. Even Iowa could jump the Huskers if they add some heavy hitting commitments of their own.
Nebraska’s only new commitment this month comes from Houston (Tx.) Alief Taylor’s Joshua Kalu, a three-star safety on the 247sports composite and considered to be the 79th best player there this season. He joins 12 other committed Huskers, including defensive tackle Peyton Newell, wide receiver Monte Harrison, guard Tanner Farmer and dual threat quarterback Zach Darlington. Like all recruits in Nebraska’s 2014 class, each is a three-star player and with the exception of Harrison, among the top 30 at their position on the 247sports composite, indicating a group that should solidly contribute at the college level, if not star.
Future Cornhuskers?
Furthering Nebraska’s recruiting problems are the increasing questions about Bo Pelini’s job security. As it stands now, I do not consider Nebraska likely to land a single four-star commitment. And I give the Huskers almost no shot of landing a class that can compete with the best of the Big Ten.
If things are to improve in Lincoln, it will have to come via something other than a talent infusion.
