By Brandon Cavanaugh

With sophomore defensive tackle Chase Rome likely out for the duration of spring practice, the spot opposite senior Baker Steinkuhler has a bright spotlight to shine on his replacement, if only temporarily.

While Rome rests, new defensive line coach Rick Kaczenski has the opportunity of molding the young guns of one of Nebraska’s thinnest positions.

Junior Thad Randle played well during modest action in six games last season, mostly rotating in to spell Terrence Moore.

His 6’1” 300-pound frame seems near-prototypical for the type of defensive lineman that helps Bo Pelini’s defenses prevent large interior runs and allow his secondaries to make a living off of coverage sacks.

Former LSU defensive tackle and current Kansas City Chief Glenn Dorsey (6’1” 297 pounds) is a prime example of this style of squatty, space-filling lineman. While Randle isn’t quite on Dorsey’s level, he could be used to play a similar role.

Three other talents look to make their mark this spring in sophomore Jay Guy along with redshirt freshmen Kevin Williams and Todd Peat, Jr. Guy and Williams both fit the squatty mold (6’1” 295 pounds and 6’2” 270 pounds, respectively) while Peat stands out slightly at 6’3” 305 pounds.

Feelings about Peat have been mixed as he has the size, but there has been a questioning of his work ethic, and whether or not tipping over 300 pounds is ideal for his production.

Look for the possibility of Kaczenski and Nebraska strength and condition coach James Dobson to work 10-15 pounds off of Peat during this spring and summer.

While only a handful of names, until Aaron Curry and Vincent Valentine arrive in the fall along with Rome's eventual return, Kaczenski must use Nebraska’s limited number of practices wisely.

If he’s successful in implementing his brand of technique and motivation, Rome’s absence could be a blessing in disguise come kickoff against Southern Miss and throughout Nebraska's second go at a Big Ten slate.

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By Brandon Cavanaugh

It’s been a long time coming, but Signing Day begins bright and early tomorrow. With that, we update the 2012 Big Board one last time.

1. OT Andrus Peat – Peat’s been No. 1 on the Big Board since its inception and it’s only fitting that he ends the cycle there. Tommy Armstrong’s a stud, but Peat would be the crown jewel of this class, no offense to the gunslinger from Cibolo. Nothing can be said that hasn’t already been about Peat. Nebraska needs him, end of story.

2. DT Vincent Valentine – It’s appropriate that any prediction of where Valentine signs is at best a guess followed by a shrug. He’s been claiming a Nebraska lead for months. The cancellation of multiple visits and the lack of news coming out of his camp combined with vague commentary when he does speak up is somewhat concerning. If his LOI comes across the fax line tomorrow, feel relieved.

3. CB Devian Shelton – Shelton could very well be headed to the Pac-12, perhaps to play with cornerback target Brandon Beaver at Washington. He still remains a realistic prospect and a badly-needed one.

4. DT Aaron Curry – If Valentine’s not on Nebraska’s signed list, expect Curry to be. Coach Kaz is very high on his abilities and if there’s one spot that needs bodies worse than cornerback, it’s the interior defensive line.

5. WR Alonzo Moore – With Devin Fuller defecting to the UCLA Bruins, Moore’s a suitable replacement. While technically being looked at primarily as a wide receiver, he appears to be getting the Jamal Turner overview of potentially excelling at multiple positions. Depending on how the quarterback situation shakes out, he may get a few practice snaps for kicks if nothing else.

National Signing Day Extravaganza: We went to the most reliable source to determine what we’d be doing for NSD: Husker Nation. A 5:30 AM CST wakeup call awaits as the Twittering will commence shortly thereafter. We’ll be featuring a live LOI blog, a live chat at noon which will cover Andrus Peat and Vincent Valentine’s commits and a final podcast roundup recorded immediately after.

We don’t want fan interaction to stop there. Chat with us on Twitter, join the live chat and stop by to make your voices heard on the fan page. We look forward to spending NSD with you all.

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By Brandon Cavanaugh

When Greg Schaino decided to pack his bags for Tampa Bay, there was cheering across Husker Nation and with good reason. An opportunity had been presented to potentially flip current Scarlet Knight commitments (and Nebraska targets) Devin Fuller and Quanzell Lambert. Unfortunately, Fuller’s ultimate decision didn’t favor the Big Red.

The New Jersey native may have tipped his hand when making his formal announcement. He had a number of hats ready to put on, but only two were pristine and non-generic: Arizona and UCLA.

This made sense as Fuller could’ve easily be seen running an offensive system designed by new Wildcats head coach Rich Rodriguez. In the end, Fuller becomes the latest in a long line of high-profile Bruin commits.

It’s possible that Fuller looked at the Cornhuskers’ current quarterback depth chart featuring Taylor Martinez, Brion Carnes, the incoming Tommy Armstrong and several talented walk-ons before deciding it was too crowded.

Perhaps he didn’t feel that he’d be properly used or, to echo the beliefs of several Husker fans, that he’d be sitting behind Martinez until the controversial quarterback's graduation at the very least. What does this mean for Nebraska moving forward?

Addressing Lambert first, the linebacker prospect has decided to give Rutgers’ new hire a fair shot at retaining him. Nebraska will likely keep a spot open regardless of his choice.

While Fuller won’t be a member of Nebraska’s class, several other high profile athletes very well could be. Offensive tackle Andrus Peat, wide receiver Alonzo Moore, defensive tackles Vincent Valentine and Aaron Curry along with cornerbacks Devian Shelton and Raymond Ford are all legitimate possibilities.

Several national pundits have Peat picking Stanford and while perhaps well-researched and legitimate predictions, that seems the almost too easy choice. The Cardinal has become a national power thanks to current San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh.

They’re likely to have several players taken during the early days of the NFL draft. However, Stanford’s current commit list holds several big-time offensive line prospects.

Brother Todd is already a Husker with cousin Avery Moss in this same class. Pundits tout the Cardinal’s recent successes, the smaller distance from home and a chance to do his own thing apart from his brother and Moss as reasons for a possible commitment to Stanford. Will that trump having family and the opportunities he does in Lincoln?

Alonzo Moore looks to be a 50/50 shot at this point, but Husker fans shouldn’t automatically take that to be a negative. Moore could stick closer to his Louisiana home, but if he wanted to do that above all else, a commitment before now seems like it would've happened. The loss of Fuller to UCLA was unfortunate, but adding Moore to this class would dry a few tears.

Vincent Valentine’s been preaching about a Nebraska lead for months now. Aaron Curry’s preexisting relationship with new defensive line coach Rick Kaczenski would suggest that two more big bodies will likely fill the middle of Bo Pelini’s defensive line.

Devian Shelton and Raymond Ford’s intentions are truly unknown, but the idea of Nebraska collecting their signatures on Wednesday isn’t far-fetched. With a secondary not only clearly needing playmakers and severely lacking in depth, the opportunity for Shelton and Ford to contribute immediately appears realistic.

Without Fuller, Nebraska’s class won’t have quite the shine it could have, but there is a genuine shot at having a class to be enthusiastic about. To be fair, there’s also the opportunity for the class to be tepid at best. The margin for error is razor-thin.

While the Big Red has been burned a few times over the past several Signing Days, being cautiously optimistic doesn’t seem to be an unfavorable position for those hunkering down behind their 2012 National Signing Day blast shields.

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By Brandon Cavanaugh

Predicting which school a recruit is eventually going to sign with is on par with guessing the amount of jellybeans in a jar. Assuming said jar is six feet tall and every color on the rainbow is represented. With only six days to go until National Signing Day, the picture has become clearer, though.

Six prospects holding offers from Nebraska will be faxing their signatures in on February 1, but the Cornhuskers don't have room to take them all, not to mention that the Big Red’s chances range from “very good” to “not a chance" with each.

After plopping down the scarlet tea leaves, we take a look into what could very well be these young men’s futures:

CB Raymond Ford: It’s a win-win situation if Ford faxes his LOI in to Nebraska. The Cornhuskers need to load up their secondary and Ford is friends with Nebraska linebacker commit Thomas Brown. Ford's recruiting contact, Corey Raymond, has been hitting his stride and there appears to be both good communication between the Cornhuskers and Ford.

Verdict: Nebraska Lean

OT Evan Goodman: At one point, it looked like Nebraska might be able to flip both Goodman and then-fellow Arizona State wide receiver recruit Kenny Lawler. With the Cornhuskers solidifying their wide receiving corps, Lawler’s moved on and Goodman appears to be eyeing Arkansas harder than his current pledge. His decision’s up in the air, but he won’t be wearing scarlet.

Verdict: No Chance

QB/WR Alonzo Moore: Either Mississippi State or Nebraska will be getting a fantastic athlete in Moore. The Cornhuskers will likely be hoping that Corey Raymond’s recent efforts pay off as it sounds like Devin Fuller could be part of Rutgers’ class come the weekend. As of now, it sounds like Moore’s signature could be the salve that heals any wounds made by a Fuller commit elsewhere.

Verdict: Strong Nebraska Lean

CB Devian Shelton: Cornerback recruit Brandon Beaver recently officially eliminated Nebraska from his list, but Shelton would be far more than a consolation prize. The scrappy Inglewood, California native has some excellent options in Washington, Tennessee, Oregon State (to whom he’s currently committed) and Nebraska.

He apparently loved his trip to Lincoln, but the luster of a visit can wear off. The Big Red does have a big selling point, though - If Shelton signs with the Cornhuskers, he’ll be in the running for serious playing time come the fall.

Verdict: Nebraska Lean

DT Vincent Valentine: Regardless of whether fellow defensive tackle Aaron Curry commits this weekend as scheduled, that won’t truly tell the tale of Big Vince’s eventual destination. Nebraska needs interior defensive lineman just as badly as secondary help.

The Cornhuskers have seemingly been in the lead for Valentine’s services for the duration of his recruitment, however Illinois and Florida both threaten. At this point, it’s near impossible to determine what he wants without being inside his head, but the Big Red’s been around since day one.

Verdict: Slight Nebraska Lean

OT Andrus Peat: Saving the best for last, what hasn’t been said about Peat? He’s the type of athlete you can work around as the cornerstone of a dominant offensive line, has a high ceiling and can scrap with the best. Several things work in Nebraska’s favor in this relationship.

His brother (Todd) is already on the roster and his cousin (defensive end Avery Moss) is committed to Nebraska. Running backs coach Ron Brown has been a regular in the Peat household for a couple of recruiting cycles now and may very well return as Todd and Andrus’ brother Cassius is a prospect for the class of 2015.

If Peat’s name doesn’t come across the fax lines on February 1, it’ll be a major bowl to this recruiting class and not just because of the overall team rankings. Fortunately, that looks unlikely.

Verdict: Strong Nebraska Lean

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By Brandon Cavanaugh

As National Signing Day grows closer, we narrow the Big Board from ten prospects down to five. Who does Nebraska need, who do they want and who feels the love going both ways?

1. DT Vincent Valentine – Big Vince gets a big bump all the way to the top spot this week as we start to really add the “need” component to The Big Board’s rankings. It’s hard to say if Valentine’s just been enjoying the attention or is truly torn about where he wants to play. Regardless, Nebraska needs big bodies in the middle and need to sell him on that hard. I still feel he ends up a Husker (barely).



2. QB Devin Fuller – It’s Rutgers vs. Nebraska for Fuller’s services right now and depending on who you talk to, either school has the inside track. The news that Grand Island, Nebraska’s Ryker Fyfe will be walking on leads me to believe that either the Cornhuskers don’t feel they have a solid shot at getting Fuller’s fax or they think he’s a lost cause. Either way, Fuller’s a guy you make room for and if he faxes in a letter of intent next week, it’ll be reason to celebrate.

3. CB Devian Shelton – As mentioned last week, there was talk that Shelton may have made up his mind about where to play football. That idea combined with the great time Shelton had in Lincoln and a likely look at the depth chart makes me think Nebraska may have him in the bag. Don’t count him as a Husker yet, though. He just returned from Washington which has skilled recruiters under Steve Sarkisian. Work of an unofficial visit to UCLA was also swirling. In the end, I don’t see him staying an Oregon State Beaver.

4. CB Brandon Beaver – Speaking of Beavers, Brandon Beaver would be an excellent complement to Shelton, but I get the idea he’s likely going to stick out west. This fight appears to have UCLA and Washington tied with Nebraska as a close third. We’ll see how much ground can be made up.

5. DT Aaron Curry – If Nebraska secures both Valentine and Curry, that’d be a boon to a thin defensive interior. However, Curry appears more likely than Big Vince at this point. Nebraska will be sitting down at home with Curry later this week where they’ll likely press for a commit. In a battle with Missouri and Iowa, the Huskers seem to have a slight lead as of now.

Silence is Golden: Devin Fuller’s a fantastic athlete, then again, so is Alonzo Moore. His name hasn’t come up much lately, and it seems unlikely it will until it crosses a fax line on February 1. Moore has Mississippi State and Nebraska at the top of his list, and while much hasn’t come out of his camp, Cornhusker coach Corey Raymond has his fingerprints all over this recruitment. Raymond’s shown he’s savvy when it comes to getting in a kid’s ear from SEC country like Moore, a Louisiana native.

On Hold: OT Andrus Peat – Depending on who you talk to, Peat’s taking a serious leaning towards Michigan, Southern Cal or Nebraska. Two main components stick out to me with Peat's recruitment – Family and money.

Peat already has a brother at Nebraska (Todd) and a cousin headed there (current commit Avery Moss). This helps when the homesick factor sets in. Also, it would be rather costly for the Peat brothers’ parents to fly two places to see their sons play. A number of people are thinking it and I’ll echo it: Andrus Peat will very likely be Nebraska’s crown jewel of this class right after he faxes his LOI on Signing Day.

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The Husker Locker staff will be presented a number of questions addressing various aspects of Nebraska Cornhuskers sports every week.

This week:

- Which three recruits do you feel Nebraska absolutely needs to wrap up for this to be a successful class?

Brian: Follow through on the signatures that have to come through on Signing Day. Too many times have classes been lost (and made) by eleventh hour decisions. Said it before, will say it again: They are not “N” till the fax hits the machine.

James: Nebraska needs five-star offensive tackle Andrus Peat, three-star defensive tackle Vincent Valentine (or Aaron Curry), as well as four-star cornerback/safety Devian Shelton. These are three positions that need some depth and on the defensive side, defensive tackle and safety are positions where Nebraska does not yet have a commit for the class of 2012.

The other spot I'd like to see is another running back who can redshirt before playing their freshman/sophomore campaigns behind the current three sophomore running backs. Fortunately, this is a "nice to have" slot, rather than a "need to have" as Nebraska currently doesn't have a running back commit in the class.

Greg: Having Tommy Armstrong is huge. Adding Devin Fuller to that would be, in my opinion, EPIC (and that's not a word I throw around lightly). I'm also really excited to see Jared Afalava heading to Lincoln, as I see a lot of Troy Polamalu-esque ability there. Peat, c'mon buddy, join your bro in the Big Red. You know you want to!

Brandon: 1.) OT Andrus Peat – Some players you go after because you need them, others you go after because they’ll improve what you already have. Peat falls under both categories. If Peat signs, in a season or two, we could see both he and his brother starting on opposite sides of the ball.

2.) DT Vincent Valentine/Aaron Curry – One of these two must end up in red come February 1. Interior line depth isn’t exactly bountiful, so plugging new blood in is crucial. Best case scenario, both sign, but it’s been hard to pinpoint Valentine’s feelings lately.

3.) CB/S Devian Shelton – Some coaches in California feel Shelton’s a better fit for Nebraska than Brandon Beaver. Much like Valentine/Curry, Shelton would add needed depth to a secondary that loses fantastic talent in Alfonzo Dennard along with one of its most cerebral players in Austin Cassidy. As we saw in 2011, a stout secondary can make or break a Bo Pelini defense.

- How do you see Nebraska basketball's regular season ending?

Brian: If this team gets to six wins in conference play and can make the second round of the Big Ten tourney, it’s a success considering the way this season began. That being said, a miracle run to a tourney title will probably be the only thing that saves Doc.

James: As all Nebraska basketball seasons do, with a streaky weird run culminating in another upset, some fantasies about somehow being on the edge of the bubble, followed by a total collapse and a berth in the NIT.

Greg: I'd like to reserve answering this until after the Ohio State game, but there's no time for that. The Big Ten is a wild and wacky world where anything can happen. We've seen it already. If the team continues to be focused and play with intensity, they could be a mid-conference finisher. What was that line from "Miracle?" They "don't have enough talent to win on talent alone." At times, like this past Wednesday night, they had the desire and heart to be a solid team.

Brandon: Including today’s tilt with Ohio State, at best they finish these 11 games with a 7-4 record, at worst 3-8. As of this writing, I feel 4-7 is realistic. If they knock off the Buckeyes (and that’s a big “if”), that could propel them to salvaging this season. As of now, I see a 14-15 record heading into the Big Ten tournament.

- Do you have a favorite Husker still in the NFL playoffs?

Brian: Prince. He’ll be a good one in the league.

James: There are only a few left! As a huge 49er fan, I'll take former Nebraska fullback and current 49er running backs Coach Tom Rathman. The 49ers have one of the best running games, and arguably the best defense left in the NFL. I missed their upset of the Saints last week while travelling in Europe for work, so getting to watch my first San Francisco playoff game in eight years will be a thrill this weekend. I almost want to fly up from Los Angeles for the game.

Greg: Prince - I hate the Patriots and Ravens. As a Steelers fan, I can't stand to see the 49ers win Lombardi number six. There can be only one dominant trophy case in the NFL, and it must be the Steelers', so Prince wins.

Brandon: I’d say New York's Prince Amukamara. He hasn’t been healthy all year, but it’d be pretty cool to begin your NFL career with a Super Bowl ring.

- What Husker football player has to have the best winter conditioning period?

Brian: Everyone. The burn of losing games the way they did last year should light fires under some asses. The greater part of one of the best runs in college football history was created by the memory of a field goal in the 1994 Orange Bowl. The burn of that loss motivated back-to-back national titles and an attitude that is still revered to today in Lincoln.

James: I think this boils down to the three freshman running backs as well as the young offensive linemen. All three of the backs so flashes, but they'll need to be bigger and stronger. The offensive line is still a work-in-progress. While they improved in 2011, they still have a long way to go to mirror the pipeline of the 1990s.

Greg: Jason Ankrah - he has so much potential but I'd like to see him get a little bigger for next year's defensive end spot.

Brandon: There’s a number of guys that need solid performances, but Chase Rome needs to be a war daddy in the weight room so he can hold down the fort on the interior defensive line. If Nebraska can force Big Ten running backs to the outside next season, it’ll make life much easier as more experienced ends can clean things up.

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Brandon: @huskerlocker
Brian: @btbowling
Greg: @thehooch36
James: @jamesstevenson

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By Brandon Cavanaugh

As National Signing Day grows closer, we narrow the Big Board from ten prospects down to five. Who does Nebraska need, who do they want and who feels the love going both ways?

1. QB Devin Fuller – Art Briles can't seem to keep his eyes off Nebraska’s paper. First, he whispers sweet nothings into commit Tommy Armstrong’s ear and now he’s after Fuller. The multi-faceted athlete just got back from a trip to UCLA and is prepping for a trip to Rutgers this weekend. If Briles can talk him into visiting Waco, that’s a victory in itself.

2. DT Vincent Valentine – Last week’s No. 3 gets bumped up a spot after Brent Wilkerson chatted with new Penn State head coach Bill O’Brien and decided to stay put. Big Vince’s recruitment has been weird since day one and it’s very difficult to pinpoint just what his wishes are on a daily basis. As of this point, I’d say he signs with Nebraska, but wouldn’t be surprised at all if he ended up at Illinois or Florida.

3. CB Brandon Beaver – With Oklahoma's Brent Venables (Beaver’s recruiting contact) having one foot out the door, this battle comes down to UCLA, Washington and Nebraska. All three can essentially guarantee playing time, so Nebraska’s going to have to come at Beaver hard if they want to secure his commitment. He was scheduled to visit Oklahoma this weekend, but we'll see if that holds up with his Sooner connection departing.

4. CB Devian Shelton – Shelton just returned from a trip to Lincoln and likes what he saw. He recently received an offer from Tennessee and will be visiting Knoxville this weekend. While he visited Arizona, it’s highly unlikely he ends up a Wildcat. He could realistically be a Vol, a Husker or remain an Oregon State Beaver. There is talk that he’s already made up his mind, however.



5. DT Aaron Curry – Curry will be visiting this weekend with the guy he knocked off of the Big Board (running back Imani Cross) and cornerback Amos Leggett. If the Cornhuskers miss with Valentine, Curry’s a fair consolation prize. He also has a relationship with Nebraska’s new defensive line coach, Rick Kaczenski. Yes, he has an Iowa offer and did visit Iowa City already back in early November.

A Telling Trio: Curry, Cross and Leggett would all be solid gets, but what speaks louder than their talent or rankings is where they’re from. When defensive backs coach Corey Raymond was hired, word spread fast that he wasn’t afraid of the SEC in recruiting battles. This mindset must be sinking in as natives of Georgia (Cross) and Leggett (FL) are visiting in January. Curry’s a Texas guy, so naturally Tim Beck’s on him, but it’s nice to see Nebraska not totally detach from one of the country’s most talent-laden areas.

On Hold: OT Andrus Peat – Apparently, Scout and 247Sports think that despite handling FSU commit Mario Williams in the Under Armour game, Peat's not a five-star player anymore. Williams is considered to be one of, if not the, best defensive end prospects in this cycle, by the way. I’m the last person you’ll hear touting stars as gospel, but to classify this kid as anything but one of the best seems silly.

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By Brandon Cavanaugh

As National Signing Day grows closer, we narrow the absent Big Board from ten prospects down to five. Who does Nebraska need, who do they want and who feels the love going both ways?

1. QB Devin Fuller – Do you know how many scholarship quarterbacks are on Nebraska’s roster right now? Two. Assuming Tommy Armstrong signs, and that’s as certain as you can get in recruiting, that’s a big step in the right direction. Fuller’s commitment would be huge in winning a recruiting battle, signing an amazing athlete and improving overall quarterback depth.

2. TE Brent Wilkerson – Committed to Penn State? At this point, he may as well be a free agent as Wilkerson’s looking around and Nebraska’s in the running. The Huskers have Kyler Reed and Ben Cotton, but both are juniors and there’s no one proven behind them. Wilkerson’s a hoss and could/should see playing time early.

3. DT Vincent Valentine – With the departure of Jared Crick, things are thin at Nebraska’s interior defensive line. The good news is Chase Rome is improving, Baker Steinkuhler appears to have finally upped his game and a host of talented youth backs them up.

In Pelini’s scheme, he needs a guy to occupy space. Enter Big Vince. There’s been love back and forth, but Illinois and Florida made things complicated. In the end, I think he pulls the trigger and becomes a Husker.

4. CB Brandon Beaver – At this point, landing Beaver’s an uphill battle. UCLA’s been snagging kids left and right from around his area despite their record and Brent Venables represents Oklahoma’s dog in this fight.

Corey Raymond’s capable of bringing Beaver in, but his official visit was back in early October while he’s taking two this month alone, one of those to see the Sooners. The Huskers need talented cornerbacks in a big way. They’re in it just enough with Beaver for him to remain on this list…for now.

5. RB Imani Cross – Remember this past season when Rex Burkhead almost set the single-game carry record and then eventually broke it in another game shortly after? It’s no secret that Burkhead will be the man next season and look for the now playable Mike Marrow to switch to fullback with Tyler Legate gone. Cross is a big, bruising back that could soften up the Big Ten’s larger lines allowing for Burkhead to bash through and the speedier backups to break free.

Sleeper: DE Kache Palacio – Palacio's name came up recently, but he looks like a solid investment. Nebraska’s pretty well stocked at defensive end this season with Cameron Meredith, Josh Williams, Joe Carter and others returning. Palacio’s a guy that appears to have tremendous upside. See for yourself:

.

He appears worth an offer to me.

On Hold: OT Andrus Peat – Peat’s been No. 1 on the Big Board since day one. Since he’s announcing on Signing Day, there’s not much point in repeating that he’s one of, if not the, potential crown jewel of this class.

It seems like he’s enjoying the process which is absolutely fine. In the end, I think he’s a Husker thanks to his brother being here. It’d be costly for mom and dad to fly to two different destinations when they could just see both baby boys in Lincoln. If Nebraska does land Andrus, it’s time to move on to Peat No. 3: Cassius.

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By Brandon Cavanaugh

Time spent on the Big Board is in italics

1.) OT Andrus Peat (Tempe, AZ): Peat's official visit to Nebraska is only a few weeks away. Florida State appears to remain the primary opposition for the Cornhuskers in this battle, but Stanford looks to be making a push. – 16 weeks

2.) ATH Devin Fuller (Old Tappan, NJ): Fuller has been battling a leg injury, but has still been performing well. Things appear to be on auto-pilot right now and barring some unforeseen major event that shakes things up, Fuller’s visit to see Nebraska take on Ohio State gives the Huskers ample ammunition to lock up a commit from one of the nation’s best prospects. – 16 weeks

3.) CB Brandon Beaver (Compton, CA): Beaver scored a crucial touchdown last week leading his team to victory. Much like Fuller, it appears that he’s focused on his season and that his trip to see the Cornhuskers battle the Buckeyes will provide a much better look at his intentions. – 9 weeks

4.) S Jordan Diggs (Cape Coral, FL): Diggs makes his second trip to Lincoln in five weeks with an official trip to see Nebraska play Ohio State. There’s a lot of love going back and forth between Diggs and the Cornhuskers. The last time this sort of communication went both ways, Nebraska landed quarterback Tommy Armstrong. – 9 weeks

5.) CB Tyreece Jiles (Cape Coral, FL): Jiles still hasn’t officially locked in a firm commitment to be at the Ohio State/Nebraska game. At this point in the process, one has to wonder if Nebraska’s not looking elsewhere with his hesitation. – 6 weeks

6.) DT Vincent Valentine (Edwardsville, Illinois): Like several other prospects, Big Vince has been quiet. It has to be disheartening for Nebraska’s staff that he hasn’t set a visit date yet. A trip to see the Cornhuskers take on Michigan State is possible, but Northwestern or Iowa appears more likely. – 6 weeks

7.) DE Jonathan Bullard (Shelby, NC): Bullard’s one of the best defensive prospects in the country, he’s been to Florida and South Carolina already and apparently loved both visits. Clearly, there’s no pressure on Nebraska to wow him during his October 8 trip.

If the Cornhuskers have any main competition, it’d have to be the Gamecocks. Spurrier’s work at South Carolina coupled with the proximity to home may be the difference. Be glad that he’s coming to see Nebraska take on Ohio State, because he may not take all five official visits. – 8 weeks

8.) LB Quanzell Lambert (Sicklerville, NJ): Lambert has all five official visits set: Alabama, Iowa, Northwestern, Oklahoma and Nebraska. Not only could he come in and make an immediate impact for Nebraska, but the Cornhuskers can point to recent success at the position. Nebraska linebacker commit Michael Rose also plans to be in attendance and in Lambert’s ear. – 5 weeks

*NEW* 9. WR/ATH Alonzo Moore (Winnfield, Louisiana): At one point, Nebraska was after Hialeah, Florida's Ghierry Vanderkuyp pretty heavily. That relationship appears to have fizzled, but another one’s heating up between the Cornhuskers and the talented Alonzo Moore.

He’s been to Lincoln a number of times. He participated in a camp during which he showed skills as a wide receiver, defensive back and even at quarterback. Moore was in town last weekend to watch Nebraska pull away from the Huskies and was very impressed. It’s looking like he could be commit No. 8.

10. OT Evan Goodman (Lakeland, FL): Nebraska’s still in the conversation for Goodman’s services along with Arizona State (to whom he’s currently committed), Auburn and Florida State. Whomever picks Goodman up will be getting a bargain as the big man from Florida will be graduating early and can enroll come January. – 3 weeks

Dropped out: Tommy Armstrong (Committed to Nebraska)

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By Brandon Cavanaugh

Time spent on the Big Board is in italics

1.) OT Andrus Peat (Tempe, AZ): It sounds like Peat’s visit to watch Nebraska take on the Buckeyes has been solidified. As of today, Peat’s visit to Lincoln is the only official trip that he's set up. In an interesting twist, Peat may not be travelling anywhere else until his team wraps their season up. Two schools that are likely to earn visits are Texas and Florida State, the latter being Nebraska’s strongest challenger in this battle. – 15 weeks

2.) ATH Devin Fuller (Old Tappan, NJ): Fuller was in Happy Valley to watch the Nittany Lions this past weekend, but his only scheduled official visit is still Nebraska’s bout with Ohio State. While Penn State always presents a fantastic game day atmosphere, especially when playing a team like No. 2 Alabama, Fuller appears to have his eyes set on Lincoln for now. – 15 weeks

3.) QB Tommy Armstrong (Cibolo, Texas): It’s finally time for Armstrong to visit Lincoln. This'll be a prime opportunity to meet the other pieces of Tim Beck’s offensive puzzle. All reports up to this point have indicated extremely positive things between the two parties. A commitment by Armstrong following the weekend would be far from shocking. - 13 weeks

4.) CB Brandon Beaver: Same song, different verse. The cornerback from Compton is being heavily pursued, but only has one official visit planned - Nebraska’s first Big Ten home game versus Ohio State. – 8 weeks

5.) CB Tyreece Jiles (Cape Coral, FL): Things could get interesting in a hurry with Jiles. At one point, he seemed a heavy Nebraska lean, but after cutting his list down to five (Ole Miss, North Carolina, Purdue, Wake Forest and Nebraska), North Carolina is the only team that Jiles has scheduled an official visit with. He’ll be tripping to see the Tar Heels play Virginia this weekend. – 5 weeks

6.) DT Vincent Valentine (Edwardsville, Illinois): There’s no news coming out of Big Vince’s camp this week, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing considering that his love for the Huskers has been in a holding pattern for a while now. – 15 weeks

7.) S Jordan Diggs (Cape Coral, FL): Diggs flew out from Cape Coral last week to visit Lincoln. He made sure to meet up with Nebraska commit Michael Rose in Lincoln as the two have become fast friends. Diggs’ unofficial trip from Florida to watch the Huskers take on Fresno State should speak for itself, but he plans to see the Big Red in action a second time against Ohio State. Talk of the dreaded “silent commit” has already cropped up. – 8 weeks

8.) DE Jonathan Bullard (Shelby, NC): It’s down to three: Florida, South Carolina and Nebraska. That John Papuchis has taken Nebraska this far into the process with Bullard is impressive. The Cornhuskers are Bullard’s only official visit scheduled. He’ll be adding even more star power to the Ohio State tilt. It sounds like Florida may be the team to beat. If Papuchis can get Nebraska this far, watch for the Cornhuskers to put all of their chips on the table to put one of the nation’s best defensive end prospects in scarlet and cream. – 7 weeks

9.) LB Quanzell Lambert (Sicklerville, NJ): One of the nation’s top inside linebackers, Lambert has plans to visit Northwestern, Iowa, Nebraska and Alabama, respectively. It sounds like Oklahoma is pushing to get him scheduled as well. Linebackers coach Ross Els continues to forge a bond with the New Jersey native. A full court press before he visits Alabama is likely just in case the luster of the SEC giant is too much to refuse. – 4 weeks

10.) OT Evan Goodman (Lakeland, FL) – Reports indicate that Goodman enjoyed his trip to Lincoln as he took in Nebraska’s 42-29 victory over the Fresno State Bulldogs. Like Peat, he doesn’t plan on scheduling any further visits until his season ends, but if he continues to trip, the Huskers are going to have some stiff competition. The defending national champion Auburn Tigers look to be next on a potential itinerary

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By Brandon Cavanaugh

Time spent on the Big Board is in italics

1.) OT Andrus Peat (Tempe, AZ): A trip to Lincoln has been tentatively scheduled by Peat for the Ohio State game. He’ll be in very good company as several of Nebraska’s top prospects will be in town. – 14 weeks

2.) ATH Devin Fuller (Old Tappan, NJ): Fuller is another prospect planning to travel for Nebraska’s tilt against the Buckeyes. The Cornhuskers have been working Fuller hard and when an athlete of his caliber gives a school heavy looks, they’d better pull out all of the stops. Nebraska may be in the battle for Fuller until he pulls the trigger. – 14 weeks

3.) QB Tommy Armstrong (Cibolo, Texas): Could Nebraska partially address their need for quarterbacks during this cycle before too long? It’s been no secret that communication between Armstrong and the Cornhuskers has been frequent. He’ll be visiting next week for the Washington game. A commitment from Armstrong wouldn’t be a surprise. - 12 weeks

4.) CB Brandon Beaver (Compton, CA): Another Ohio State game attendee, the Cornhuskers still appear to be the only team outside of the Pac-12 that Beaver is considering. Arizona, Arizona State and UCLA sound like the main competition for the uber-talented cornerback’s services. – 7 weeks

5.) CB Tyreece Jiles (Cape Coral, FL): The Buckeye battle keeps getting bigger with the addition of a planned trip by Jiles. He’s been showing off his versatility at Cape Coral High School where he put in solid time at receiver and even ran the ball this past week. – 4 weeks

6.) DT Vincent Valentine (Edwardsville, Illinois): A new challenger appears! While Big Vince is still high on the Cornhuskers, another Big Ten foe appears to be making up ground quickly in Illinois. Valentine plans to make trips later in the season. If Nebraska could bring him in for Northwestern or Iowa, they could seal the deal assuming his relationship with the Cornhuskers remains positive. –14 weeks

7.) S Jordan Diggs (Cape Coral, FL): The situation with Diggs has gotten very interesting. He’s planning to visit unofficially this weekend as the Huskers take on Fresno State. In other words, he’s plunking down his own money. He’ll be attending the Ohio State game officially, but one has to wonder with Diggs making an unofficial visit from Florida if he won’t be a Nebraska commitment by then. – 7 weeks

8.) DE Jonathan Bullard (Shelby, NC): Nebraska has never been afraid of the SEC on the football field, and apparently they’re not shaking in their shoes on the recruiting trail either. Bullard is another Ohio State game attendee and assuming he caught the Huskers’ game against UTC, he had to have come away impressed with the work of Nebraska’s defensive ends. – 6 weeks

9.) LB Quanzell Lambert (Sicklerville, NJ): Lambert’s already lined up to visit Nebraska for their game against Michigan State. He's ranked very highly by all main recruiting services which is all well and good, but his versatility speaks for itself. He could be either a punishing MIKE linebacker or be one of the most physical outside linebackers in the Big Ten under Pelini’s watch. – 3 weeks

*NEW* 10.) OT Evan Goodman (Lakeland, FL) – With some scholarships opening up, it’s never too early to start adding quality depth. After last year's amazing haul of offensive linemen, the Huskers appear to be in good positions with Andrus Peat and current Arizona State commit Evan Goodman. Add their potential commitments to current verbal Paul Thurston and you have another stellar crop of offensive linemen.

Don’t let Goodman's commitment fool you. He'll be in town this weekend to watch Nebraska take on Fresno State. He’s very impressed with Nebraska’s tradition when it comes to offensive linemen, so don’t be surprised if the Cornhuskers deal ASU’s class a devastating blow.

Dropped out: WR/ATH Ghierry Van der Kuyp (Lack of communication)

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By Brandon Cavanaugh

Time spent on the Big Board is in italics

1.) OT Andrus Peat (Tempe, AZ): It looks like there may be a stalemate here. Notre Dame, Texas, Florida State and Nebraska are the Peat’s “Final Four”. That’s likely not to change until he starts making official visits. – 12 weeks

2.) ATH Devin Fuller (Old Tappan, NJ): Fuller has a handful of top-tier schools in his “Elite 11.” None of them can rest easy, because that number is getting ready to shrink by approximately six in the next few weeks. Nebraska is recruiting Fuller with a wide range of offensive ideas in mind much like Jamal Turner. A strong showing by Nebraska’s offensive versus the Mocs may solidify the Big Red’s place in Fuller’s Fab Five. – 12 weeks

3.) QB Tommy Armstrong (Cibolo, Texas): While the Cornhuskers have serious competition for Armstrong’s services in Southern Miss, the Cornhuskers have two big things going for them right now: Bubba Starling’s not coming to Lincoln this year and Armstrong’s will visit in mid-September with no USM trip made as of yet. - 8 weeks

4.) CB Brandon Beaver (Compton, CA): Beaver could’ve committed to someone by now as he was going to have a press conference set up to announce, but he’s decided to wait until after his visits. He only has his trip to Lincoln set up as of now. Rumors have floated about him leaning towards a couple of Pac-12 schools, but with the press conference cancellation, one has to wonder if Nebraska’s Corey Raymond has an ace up his sleeve. – 5 weeks

5.) CB Tyreece Jiles (Cape Coral, FL): There was a high probability that Miami (FL) was going to be in a good position to land Jiles. With scandal surrounding The U, that potential might have fallen through. He’s getting attention from other in-state schools, but he’s holding an actual offer from Nebraska. – 2 weeks

6.) DT Vincent Valentine (Edwardsville, Illinois): The end of Valentine’s recruitment features a potential recruiting reenactment of the 1996 Fiesta Bowl. Nebraska and Florida are going to likely be the only two schools to get an official visit from Big Vince. The Cornhuskers have been the team to beat for a while now. Florida’s going to have to pull out all the stops to get him to sway. –12 weeks

7.) S Jordan Diggs (Cape Coral, FL): The U.S. Army All-American Game participant is taking the recruiting process slow and steady. He has approximately 10 schools that he’s eyeballing the hardest including Michigan State, Tennessee, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Nebraska. His visit for the Ohio State tilt is still on and with Nebraska commit-turned-cheerleader Michael Rose attending, Diggs may be a Cornhusker following that weekend. – 5 weeks

8.) DE Jonathan Bullard (Shelby, NC): Nebraska’s sitting surprisingly high with Bullard. The Cornhuskers are doing all they can to remain in this fight for one of the best defensive end prospects in the country. Right now, Florida, Alabama, Clemson and South Carolina look to be the primary competition. With the Cornhuskers severe need of defensive ends, the depth chart and game day atmosphere during Bullard’s visit should keep NU on his list until at least late in the season. – 4 weeks

*NEW* 9.) LB Quanzell Lambert (Sicklerville, NJ): The Cornhuskers have Michael Rose and Deion Jones, but when you have a need for quality linebackers and the ear of an athlete like Lambert, you go for a talented trifecta. Nebraska’s main competition for the stud prospect looks to be Alabama, Oklahoma and Northwestern. It’s not shocking that Ron Brown has been dispatched to help recruit the New Jersey native. Brown appears to enjoy swinging for the fences when it comes to bringing in young talent.

10.) WR/ATH Ghierry Van der Kuyp (Hialeah, FL): Van der Kuyp still doesn’t have a trip to Nebraska set up, but his interest level appears to remain the same. Not much has come out of his camp lately, but with the college football season rapidly approaching, expect some official visits to be scheduled in a hurry. – 6 weeks

Dropped out: DE Taiwan Johnson (More immediate need at LB)

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By Brandon Cavanaugh

Time spent on the Big Board is in italics

1.) OT Andrus Peat (Tempe, AZ): Peat has narrowed his list down to a final four: Texas, Florida State, Notre Dame and Nebraska. He visited the Longhorns during the July 22 weekend and there’s plenty of room for offensive tackles of Peat’s caliber on their depth chart. However, it appears that this race will come down to Florida State and Nebraska.– 11 weeks

2.) QB Devin Fuller (Old Tappan, NJ): As it stands, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Rutgers, South Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin have made the cut for Fuller’s services, but those 14 can't breathe easy just yet. Fuller plans to update this list, potentially as soon as this Friday. – 11 weeks

3.) QB Tommy Armstrong (Cibolo, TX): It’s come down to two schools: Nebraska and Southern Miss. Armstrong will take his official visit to Nebraska the week of September 17 when Nebraska plays host to the Washington Huskies. As of now, he’s only set up the one visit to Lincoln and may very well commit if the Huskers shellac the Huskies like they did in Seattle last year. - 7 weeks

4.) CB Brandon Beaver (Compton, CA): With Nebraska’s cornerback depth dwindling following this season combined with the unknown status of 2010 recruit Charles Jackson, Nebraska needs to get at least two quality players at the position during this cycle. Beaver would be a huge get and has already set his official visit for September 10 when Nebraska takes on the Fresno State Bulldogs. – 4 weeks

*NEW* 5.) CB Tyreece Jiles (Cape Coral, FL): Speaking of big-time cornerbacks, Jiles would be a solid complement to Beaver. Jiles is friends with current Big Board members Jordan Diggs and Ghierry Van der Kuyp. He’ll be visiting along with Diggs for Nebraska’s first Big Ten home game versus Ohio State setting the stage for both a huge win and commitment.

6.) DT Vincent Valentine (Edwardsville, IL): Husker coaches John Garrison and John Papuchis have been burning the midnight oil working to snag Valentine’s commitment. It’s paid off in a big way as it appears that he’s a Nebraska lean. This should be considered an impressive feat as he also has offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Florida and several other major FBS programs. Allegedly, he wants to wait until December or January to commit, however it wouldn’t be a shock if he was in the fold well before then. – 11 weeks

7.) S Jordan Diggs (Cape Coral, FL): Papuchis is hot on the trail of Diggs as well. As mentioned, he’ll be joining his friend Tyreece Jiles for the Ohio State game. He loves the Blackshirt tradition. Recent first-round NFL draft pick Prince Amukamara and senior cornerback Alfonzo Dennard are two players that have shown Diggs what he can become in Bo Pelini’s secondary. His commitment could come with Jiles’ following the tilt with the Buckeyes. – 4 weeks

8.) DE Jonathan Bullard (Shelby, NC): Another Ohio State game attendee, Bullard’s an unknown at this point. If he makes the trip, that’ll be a huge milestone on the way towards garnering his commitment as the game day atmosphere has been known to sell itself. Nebraska is going to have to fend off a number of SEC and ACC powers to land this North Carolinian prospect, but it can be done. – 3 weeks

9.) WR/ATH Ghierry Van der Kuyp (Hialeah, FL): Van der Kuyp wants to be in town for the Ohio State game with Jiles and Diggs, but that trip has yet to be lined up. At first, it looked like Nebraska wanted to plug him in at cornerback. Thanks to interest from the likes of Beaver, the Cornhuskers look to develop his athleticism at receiver where he could be even more effective. – 5 weeks

10.) DE Taiwan Johnson (Manvel, TX): If Nebraska secures the commitments of the aforementioned Bullard and Taiwan Johnson, they’ll get an “A” for securing badly needed, quality depth. The Cornhuskers have an opportunity to take another step closer toward that tremendous trifecta as Johnson will be visiting on September 17 for the Washington game. – 5 weeks

Dropped out: TE Orlando David

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By Brandon Cavanaugh

Time spent on the Big Board is in italics

1.) OT Andrus Peat (Tempe, AZ): The last time we updated the Big Board, Peat had 13 schools that he was looking at, but that number appears to be shrinking in a hurry. He’s publically said that both Notre Dame and Nebraska will be in it until the end, but watch out for Florida State to put the full-court press on Peat. – 6 weeks

2.) QB Devin Fuller (Old Tappan, NJ): Fuller’s upcoming visit to Nebraska in July could be what seals the deal or causes him to look elsewhere. The Cornhuskers allegedly run an offense similar to the one he’s currently a part of and that sense of familiarity works in Nebraska’s favor. The longer Fuller goes without committing after the visit, the worse it is for the Huskers’ chances. – 6 weeks

3.) QB Tommy Armstrong (Cibolo, Texas): It’s become apparent that Anthony Alford’s commit is a pipe dream and that he’ll likely be an SEC quarterback, but one signal-caller who has been getting plenty of pub lately is Steele High School’s Tommy Armstrong. Nebraska’s in dire need of a quarterback this cycle and with the amount of attention that Armstrong’s been getting, it wouldn’t be shocking for him to be that guy. - 2 weeks

*NEW* 4.) WR/ATH Ghierry Vanderkuyp (Hialeah, FL): Vanderkuyp’s name has been on the lips of many in recent weeks, so it seems appropriate to make him this week’s first new name on the Big Board. His athleticism allows him to play on both sides of the ball, but with Nebraska’s deep receiving corps, expect the Cornhuskers to chat him up about starting at safety.

5.) DT Vincent Valentine (Edwardsville, Illinois): Nothing much new to report out of the Valentine camp, but at this point no new is good news. Valentine's been a fan of John Papuchis and the NU defensive staff for quite some time now and that doesn't appear likely to change in the near future. – 6 weeks

*NEW* 6.) S Jordan Diggs (Cape Coral, FL): Diggs’ commitment would be somewhere in between Greg McMullen’s and Andrus Peat’s. He’d easily be one of the best athletes in the class and wouldn’t you know it? He’s coming to visit Nebraska in late July. Coaches John Papuchis and Corey Raymond have been his key contacts and the Cornhuskers have been putting plenty of energy into recruiting Florida. It’s time for it to pay off.

*NEW* 7.) CB Brandon Beaver (Compton, CA): Nebraska’s had the luxury of a deep, talented and experienced corps of defensive backs, but the cornerback position is quickly becoming razor-thin. Beaver recently worked out at the B2GSports camp at UCLA with a busted hand and had some issues as a result. Once healed, he’ll prove why he’s arguably one of the best in the country.

*NEW* 8.) TE Orlando David (Hollywood, FL): Just because Sam Cotton committed to Nebraska doesn’t mean that the race for a tight end is over. Sam’s film on defense appears more impressive than his tight end work, so a switch to defensive end isn’t out of the question. David still has plans to visit Nebraska during the fall and other programs are starting to take notice of the Floridian tight end.

*NEW* 9.) DE Taiwan Johnson (Manvel, TX): Nebraska continues to try and fill the defensive end ranks as they go after another highly-touted athlete in Johnson. Wide receivers coach Ross Fisher and John Papuchis, who would be his position coach at Nebraska, have two of the best relationships with Taiwan according to the athlete himself.

10.) WR Kenny Lawler (Upland, CA): Lawler may be on borrowed time when it comes to his stay on the Big Board as Nebraska’s not looking to take too many wide receivers. With the commitment of Jordan Westerkamp a few weeks back, one has to think that the door is closing at Nebraska. He still wants to take his visits this fall, but if the Cornhuskers lock up all needs on offense, he may be left out of the class. – 3 weeks

Dropped out: TE Christo Kourtzidis (Comitted to Florida State), TE Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick (Committed to Southern California), QB Anthony Alford

Past Big Boards: 5/16 5/24 6/2 6/7 6/17

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By Brandon Cavanaugh

Husker Locker takes a look at the ten prospects most likely targeted as the most coveted by Nebraska in terms of overall talent, position need, interest and a few intangible factors.

Time spent on the Big Board is in italics

1.) OT Andrus Peat (Tempe, Arizona): Peat’s going to start working his way around campuses across the country over the next few weeks with his first trip being to Notre Dame this weekend. He appears to have the summer booked in terms of trips, but like his brother Todd, his decision could come down to the wire. Expect at least one visit to Nebraska. – 5 weeks

2.) QB Devin Fuller (Old Tappan, New Jersey): Rutgers continues to stick in Fuller’s mind, but Nebraska’s image hasn’t faded at all. He recently snagged offer No. 30 from Ohio State which appears more symbolic than anything as he’s bonding well with about six other teams who aren’t staring sanctions in the face. – 5 weeks

3.) QB Anthony Alford (Petal, Mississippi): Nebraska hasn’t been faring well against the recruiting efforts of LSU. With excellent programs in both baseball and football, that may be the case again with Alford. The good news is that with the Cornhuskers’ baseball staff being rounded out, they can make a true full-court press on the dual-sport athlete. – 5 weeks

4.) DE Greg McMullen (Akron, Ohio): McMullen is entertaining other offers, but Nebraska’s still the team to beat. He’ll likely be visiting Lincoln yet again in another effort to see just how comfortable he can get with the surroundings. He’s taking a very methodical approach to his recruitment but should be a Husker commit in the end. – 4 weeks

5.) DT Vincent Valentine (Edwardsville, Illinois): Big Vince has two schools that stand out the most in Nebraska and Florida with the Cornhuskers leading. It sounds like he wants to take some visits before deciding, but he has mentioned previously that he would like to stay closer to home. – 5 weeks

*NEW* 6.) QB Tommy Armstrong (Cibolo, Texas): The first of three new prospects this week, if you followed recruiting at all last year, you likely remember Texas running back Malcolm Brown. Brown was often mentioned in the same breath as Cornhusker Aaron Green. The connection is that Armstrong was Brown’s quarterback. There are some very positive feelings between both the Nebraska staff and Armstrong about his future in Lincoln.

*NEW* 7.) TE Christo Kourtzidis (Orange, California): With the prospect of bringing in Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick and Terrell Mitchell dwindling a bit, Kourtzidis looks like the next best thing. He recently visited Lincoln and appeared impressed. He’s another prospect that may leave the Big Board, but this time in favor of the Cornhuskers as he could make his decision as soon as July.

*NEW* 8.) DE Taiwan Johnson (Manvel, Texas): Another Big Board newbie, Johnson has been proactive in his approach towards Nebraska. He knows that the need is there for defensive ends and while he’s unlikely to come in and contribute immediately at 6’3” 235 pounds, he could easily be molded by Nebraska strength and conditioning coach Jim Dobson into a punishing redshirt freshman.

9. WR Kenny Lawler (Upland, California): Lawler gets bumped up a spot following his trip to Nebraska’s camp. Right now, the Cornhuskers are the only team outside of the Pac-12 that Lawler is truly considering. He will likely be taking his officials before making a decision, but Nebraska made an first-rate impression after rolling out the red carpet. – 2 weeks

10. TE Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick (Rocklin, California): As time goes by, it appears that JCF is going to stick out west for his college career. He’s been tripping to a few schools, but from all indications if Southern Cal offers, it's over. John Garrison is the reason he stays on the Big Board as he’s arguably the fiercest recruiter that Nebraska has on staff and is JCF’s primary contact. – 5 weeks

Dropped out: ILB Donavin Newsom, OG Evan Boehm (Both committed to Missouri), TE Terrell Mitchell

Past Big Boards: 5/16 5/24 6/2 6/7

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By Brandon Cavanaugh

Time spent on the Big Board is in italics

1.) OT Andrus Peat (Tempe, Arizona): Peat slashed the number of schools that he’s considering down to 13 last week. Arizona residents were somewhat shocked that neither FBS in-state school was in the mix. While no official leaders have been named, USC and Nebraska appear the teams to beat for now. – 4 weeks

2.) QB Devin Fuller (Old Tappan, New Jersey): With plans to visit Nebraska finalized, Fuller will get the full court press once he arrives in Lincoln. Thanks to his multiple roles, Jamal Turner might find himself buddying up to Fuller. Turner could be just the guy to show Fuller the future of Nebraska’s potentially high-octane offense. – 4 weeks

3.) QB Anthony Alford (Petal, Mississippi): Alford’s sticking to his guns about wanting to play football and baseball in college. With the hiring of former dual-sport athlete Darin Erstad as head baseball coach, Nebraska has a unique recruiting tool. If anything is going to pry Alford out of SEC country, the combination of Tim Beck, Ron Brown and Erstad may be it. – 4 weeks

4.) DE Greg McMullen (Akron, Ohio): McMullen made no bones about his feelings towards Ohio State. According to the Detroit Free Press he said, “If they get more sanctions thrown on them for the long term, then I’m not going there. I want to know how it feels to play in a Big Ten championship and know how it feels to play in a bowl game.” – 3 weeks

5.) DT Vincent Valentine (Edwardsville, Illinois): Vince isn’t budging for now especially with no signs of his interest dropping. Side note: He is one of ten Illinois prospects nominated to play in the U.S. Army All-American game. Fellow Illinois resident and Nebraska commit Jordan Westerkamp is also a nominee. – 4 weeks

6.) TE Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick (Rocklin, California): Cope-Fitzpatrick is quickly climbing up target boards across the country including many in his local circles. Word is that there is plenty of mutual interest between Jalen and these schools. Nebraska must show that they have plans for more pass-catching tight ends in the mold of Kyler Reed to have a chance. – 4 weeks

7.) ILB Donavin Newsom (St. Louis, Missouri): The Missouri Tigers held a camp at De Smet Jesuit High School at which Newsom was the only absent expected attendee. However, he did take a trip to Columbia recently. Nothing stands out to indicate that any one school leads between his three favorites of Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri. – 4 weeks

8.) OG Evan Boehm – (Lee's Summit, Missouri): The Boehm camp has been very quiet for the past few weeks. Nebraska’s depth at guard is talented, but young. They need to continue stocking up on talent at this position to help ease the learning curve. – 4 weeks

9.) TE Terrell Mitchell (Fort Scott, Kansas (Fort Scott CC): Missouri’s name popped up last week as a potential new suitor for Mitchell. Now, the Tigers may have been bumped by the Oklahoma Sooners. Mitchell’s presence at Fort Scott alone gives Nebraska a chance at landing the big-bodied tight end. – 4 weeks

10.) WR Kenny Lawler (Upland, California): Lawler sticks on the Big Board for a second week as he’ll be visiting Lincoln this weekend. Nebraska should be able to obtain plenty of information about Lawler during his stay. If he’s still looking to set up an official visit to Memorial Stadium in the next week or two, that would speak volumes about the Cornhuskers’ relationship with Lawler. – 2 weeks

Past Big Boards: 5/16 5/24 6/2

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By Brandon Cavanaugh

Time spent on the Big Board is in italics

1.) OT Andrus Peat (Tempe, Arizona): Another week and Peat’s still here. There’s some good news for Nebraska: He’s narrowed his list down to 13 schools. As of right now, Nebraska, Florida, Oregon, Notre Dame, Texas, Auburn, Miami (FL), Arkansas, Florida State, Alabama, Michigan, Stanford and Southern California are in the running. – 3 weeks

2.) QB Devin Fuller (Old Tappan, New Jersey): Much like Peat, Devin ain’t budging. Also like Peat, there’s good news: Fuller will be visiting Nebraska this summer. While the likes of Michigan and UCLA are after Fuller right along with Nebraska, there’s one school that will be very pesky in this fight: Rutgers. – 3 weeks

3.) QB Anthony Alford (Petal, Mississippi): Things are heating up for this dual-sport athlete. Much like Bubba Starling, he wants to play both football and baseball in college. It’s going to be tough to pull Alford out of the south, but Nebraska appears to be one of the few schools farther to the north that he’s giving any legitimate attention to. – 3 weeks

4.) DE Greg McMullen (Akron, Ohio): Greg’s update depends on whether you think the glass is half full or half empty. Greg appears to be looking at more schools and will likely get to know Luke Fickell. The Buckeyes are hanging onto McMullen’s interest by a thread. You’ve got to think that if they get hit with sanctions, he’s done with them. – 2 weeks

5.) DT Vincent Valentine (Edwardsville, Illinois): Vince will likely hit up Nebraska for one of his official visits this year. What will work in the Cornhuskers' favor is the need for depth on the defensive line and Vincent sounds to be more of a homebody. There may be a Big Ten clash for his services later on in the cycle. – 3 weeks

6.) TE Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick (Rocklin, California): It sounds like Jalen may be hopping off of the Big Board before a number of his list-mates. Cope-Fitzpatrick wants to make his decision within the next two months. It’s time for the Huskers to book it to California early and often if they want to secure his commitment. – 3 weeks

7.) ILB Donavin Newsom (St. Louis, Missouri): Newsom’s narrowing things down and he’ll either be wearing a shade of yellow or red. Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska are the three teams that have the opportunity to add Newsom to their ranks. – 3 weeks

8.) OG Evan Boehm – (Lee's Summit, Missouri): Things could be heating up with Boehm’s recruiting. He’s expressed that he wanted to wait until June and when his track dates are wrapped up. Here we are. Expect to hear more about Boehm in the near future. – 3 weeks

9.) TE Terrell Mitchell (Fort Scott, Kansas (Fort Scott CC): It sounded like Mitchell was about ready to pull the trigger and become a Cornhusker, but from the sound of things Missouri is making a strong push. Tight end is a position of need for Nebraska, so they’ll need to lock down the Fort Scott pipeline quickly if they want Mitchell. – 3 weeks

*NEW* 10.) WR Kenny Lawler (Upland, California): Lawler’s a current Arizona State commitment, but don’t let that fool you. His verbal pledge to the Sun Devils is anything but firm. It was originally thought that he’d be unable to visit Nebraska this summer for camp, but good news! He’s going to be in Lincoln in a couple of weeks. Rich Fisher has an opportunity to snag another fantastic wide receiver prospect.

Dropped out: C Ty Darlington (2 weeks spent on the Big Board)

Past Big Boards: 5/16 5/24

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