Recruiting Blitz: Evaluating top Nebraska commits Claude Mpouma and Trae Taylor
Rivals Midwest Analyst Greg Smith joins Inside Nebraska’s Tim Verghese with the latest four-star Nebraska offensive line commit Claude Mpouma, after seeing the blue-chip tackle prospect in person. Verghese shares the latest on elite 2027 quarterback commit Trae Taylor after taking in his season-opener.
Notes and Observations from Nebraska QB commit Trae Taylor’s season opener
Taylor threw for four touchdowns to just one incompletion, a drop early in the game. A lot has changed around Taylor on Carmel Catholic’s offense, the offensive line is younger, but talented, and there’s more weapons available to the junior in the pass game than he had as a sophomore. Taylor’s father, J.R. is his offensive coordinator and through the offseason the two have installed concepts from Dana Holgorsen’s offense at Nebraska to better prepare the four-star for his time in Lincoln. Now a junior, Taylor is in more control of the offense than ever before. He has the freedom to call audibles at the line based on what he sees and can even sequence plays together if he likes what he sees. He’s challenged to make full-field reads, which is ultimately best for his long term career. It’s a challenge indeed at times, but it’s worth keeping in mind a large contingent of high school quarterbacks, even other top-ranked quarterback recruits, are limited to one-read offenses or half-field reads. Taylor did seem more comfortable progressing through reads Friday than he did as a sophomore, that’s welcome offseason development for the Nebraska commit.
Despite the final score, Carmel Catholic got off to a start Nebraska fans have become all too familiar with. Offensive miscues, from penalties to fumbles to a drop that ended up being Taylor’s lone incompletion, it took just about the entire first quarter for the Crusaders to get on the board.
Credit to Taylor, I’ve seen young quarterbacks try to do too much when their team is struggling. Taylor stayed level-headed and patient. On Carmel Catholic’s third drive, looking for a score, the Crusaders opened under center and Taylor was comfortable leaning on his backs to settle the game down and move the chains for the Crusaders. Then, on third and 16 at midfield, he made magic. His receivers needed time, and his young offensive line was feeling the pressure so Taylor rolled right, maintaining his eyes downfield and found an open man downfield, who didn’t have to do much else but walk in a 50-yard touchdown