Recruiting Blitz: Which Nebraska freshmen will contribute in 2025?
As Nebraska kicks off fall camp, in this week’s edition of Recruiting Blitz, Inside Nebraska’s Tim Verghese takes a look back at Nebraska’s 2025 recruiting class and discusses which freshmen are likely contribute for the Huskers this season after spring practices and summer workouts.
Top 10 Nebraska camp storylines
10. What’s in store for the Miami crew?
Jacory Barney Jr. Vincent Shavers Jr. Willis McGahee IV. Amare Sanders. Larry Tarver Jr. Cortez Mills Jr.
Oh yes, thanks to South Florida recruiting ace Phil Simpson and Co., Nebraska has landed a handful of dudes from the Miami area the past two recruiting cycles. What’s in store for them this fall?
We know Barney is electric with the ball in his hands. In the spring he mentioned being more of a threat down the field in the pass game. He doesn’t want to be known as just a jet-sweep guy. Opposing defensive coordinators didn’t know about him last season, but now they do. How will Barney react, and be used?
Shavers and McGahee can play in the Big Ten, they showed it last season as true freshmen. But that was last year. Nebraska’s defense can’t have a sophomore slump, especially with those two.
Can Sanders and Tarver earn roles in the secondary? They might not start — Ceyair Wright and Idaho transfer Andrew Marshall seem like your two starting outside corners — but they will have opportunities to get on the field in certain packages.
Then there’s the 6-foot Mills, who upped his spring ball weight from 175 pounds to 185, according to the fall roster update. Mills will be right behind Dane Key, watching and learning from the steady veteran from the SEC.
Mills will play, but how much?
9. Can the WR room turn potential into production?
Outside of Key, who figures to be Dylan Raiola’s X receiver and focal point of the pass game, Nebraska’s receiver room has more potential than proven commodities.
Yes, Barney caught a true freshman school record 55 passes for 447 yards and rushed for 130 yards and three touchdowns in 2024. But it’s too early to call Barney proven. He needs to make an impact in his second season in order to get that designation.
Same goes for Cal transfer Nyziah Hunter, who caught 40 passes for 578 yards and five touchdowns as a redshirt freshman in 2024. We don’t yet know if Hunter’s production against ACC defenses will translate in the Big Ten. I have a hunch it will, but for now, he’ll need to prove it.
Everyone else in the room hasn’t done much at the college level. But that’s the fun part about this season. Who will emerge behind Key, Barney and Hunter?
There’s bound to be someone who will take advantage from a group that includes Mills, Janiran Bonner, Quinn Clark, Demitrius Bell, Keelan Smith and excellent-looking true freshman Jeremiah Jones. Throw athlete Isaiah Mozee in this group, too, as he’ll play and get opportunities to catch passes as a running back.