The start of Nebraska’s off-season was filled with coaching drama. After two seasons with the Cornhuskers, defensive coordinator Tony White inked a three-year deal to take the same job at Florida State. NU defensive line coach Terrance Knighton will also follow him to Tallahassee. Luckily, these departures didn’t affect the status of NU’s recruits. In fact, it seems that several Nebraska signees are in the mix to play early. Let’s break down who they are.
Cortez Mills
After a five-month commitment to Oklahoma, the four-star wideout decided to flip to the Huskers. This is a massive surprise for Dana Holgorsen’s offense in the early signing period. But what is Nebraska getting in the signee? Simply put, he’s an explosive play waiting to happen. In his junior year of high school in Florida, Mills ended the season with 1,640 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns. These stats prove that he can make an instant impact. It could be to the level of fellow Florida native Jacory Barney. But to reach that point, he has to learn how Daikiel Shorts factors into the equation. Nebraska’s newest wide receivers coach will have different expectations for how the Cornhuskers offense is supposed to function. And it’s worth noting, that he’ll also bring in his own players from Kentucky. If this happens, watch junior wide receiver Dane Key. He emerged as the Wildcats leading receiver this season with 715 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
BREAKING: Four-Star WR Cortez Mills has Flipped his Commitment from Oklahoma to Nebraska, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’1 180 WR from Homestead, FL had been Committed to the Sooners since July
“Flobraska let’s do it!!”https://t.co/ncDPnhnLWf pic.twitter.com/bryc7nTDRJ
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 4, 2024
Jeremiah Jones
The 295-pounder from Kentucky wasn’t sure that he was going to sign with Nebraska. Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz made some overtures at the last minute to try to add him to the Tiger’s 2025 recruiting class. But it wasn’t meant to be. At the last minute, Jones reaffirmed that he’ll be sticking with the Cornhuskers. Now the question remains. Where will he fit in Lincoln? He played wide receiver and defensive back in high school and even quarterback when needed. It’s a puzzle that NU’s coaching staff will have to figure out. But if we were to look at his most reliable option, it would be safety. In his junior season at Murray, he racked up 66 solo tackles. In coverage, he also had two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. The four-star prospect will have plenty of opportunities to show what he can do in 2025. Most of Nebraska’s veterans are gone in the secondary, which means that there is more than enough room for him to grab a starting spot.
Jamarion Parker
Throughout Nebraska’s 2024 campaign, EJ Barthel struggled to find consistency at the running back position. This led to multiple backs being used throughout the season. Sophomore Dante Dowdell acted as the hammer in short-yardage situations, while Minnesota native Emmett Johnson could make defenders miss in the open field. It will be interesting to see how. Nebraska uses the signee early. The four-star prospect established himself as one of the top high school players in the state of Missouri at Cardinal Ritter Prep. In his junior and senior seasons, he rushed for over 3,600 yards and had 50 touchdowns on the ground.
Houston Kaahaaina Torres
Huskers offensive line coach Donovan Raiola has the Polynesian pipeline in full swing. Senior center Ben Scott was the anchor of Nebraska’s offensive line this season. The Honolulu native had over 50 career starts in Lincoln. And in the 2024 recruiting class, Preston Taumua was the top offensive line prospect in the state of Hawaii. Now, it seems that Raiola is following the same blueprint with Kaahaaina-Torres. He’s the number two player in the state of Hawaii, and the signee has a similar build to the former Waipahu product. But that’s not where the comparisons stop. They both have a propensity to attack defensive linemen on every play. His physical style of blocking is a good sign that the signee can play early under Raiola.
Read more about current freshman offensive lineman Preston Taumua in Which Freshman Could Impact Nebraska Football In 2024
Dawson Merritt
The Kansas native brings a ton of upside to Rob Dvoracek’s linebacker room. In his junior and senior seasons at Blue Valley High School, he totaled 141 tackles and 14 sacks. He also forced seven fumbles and had two fumble recoveries. This makes him a premier candidate to start early under Nebraska’s new defensive coordinator. The only problem is that he might have different ideas on where he fits.
