Nebraska's 10-3 win over Oklahoma is already paying big dividends in the recruiting department, as the Cornhuskers have picked up three verbal commitments for the 2010 class less than 24 hours after the victory.

NU received its fourth and fifth commitments along the defensive line, as Aldine, Texas, native Jay Guy - a squat, powerful nose tackle at 6-foot-1, 300 pounds - pledged to play for the Huskers in 2010, as did 6-foot-3, 250-pound Tobi Okuyemi of Plymouth, Minn.
Guy committed directly after NU's dominant defensive performance – which doubled as his official visit - and will enroll in January, so he'll be able to go through spring practice with the Cornhuskers.

Guy is likely slated to be Ndamukong Suh's heir apparent at the nose position, even though his stature more closely recalls that of LSU standout Glenn Dorsey. He had been a soft verbal commit to California, and had the Golden Bears and UCLA in his final three with NU. He had offers from Michigan, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Missouri, among other schools.

Guy said he committed because of Nebraska's coaches – including defensive ends coach John Papuchis, who recruited Guy – the crowd and the play of the defense in the OU win.

Okuyemi visited NU during the spring game, and made another official visit for OU. He had offers from every Big Ten school but Ohio State and Penn State, a Big 12 offer from Kansas, and offers from Kentucky and Vanderbilt. He had been high on NU since the spring game, but Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa put a full court press on Okuyemi for his services.

Nebraska won out.

NU now has verbal commitments from Guy, Okuyemi, Columbia (Mo.) standout Chase Rome, River Ridge, La., end Walker Ashburn and Arlington, Texas, defensive end Donovan Vestal. Rome is likely to slide inside and play defensive tackle. Ashburn and Vestal currently project as defensive ends. NU may try to pick up one or two more defensive line prospects before Signing Day, as well.

The third commit is Corona, Calif., defensive back Joshua Mitchell, a 5-foot-11, 190-pounder from Eleanor Roosevelt High School, which sent four players for official visits this weekend. Mitchell's offer list isn't quite as impressive – Colorado State, UTEP, Idaho and Washington State – but he's considered a late bloomer who was beginning to attract attention from Pac-10 schools. He's also a return specialist with four punt returns for touchdowns in 2009.

Permanent Link to this Blog Post