Nebraska Football Recruiting: Running Backs Huskers Should Be Targeting for 2015

The time has finally come for I-back Ameer Abdullah to leave Nebraska. While Husker fans wish he could stick around forever, it's time for the next generation of star running backs to step up.

Nebraska currently has eight I-backs listed on its roster. That includes both Imani Cross and Terrell Newby, who fans have had an opportunity to get to know already.

With Cross set to graduate at the end of next season, it's time to find those next stars for the Huskers. Who will they be? More importantly, which running backs should Mike Riley and his staff be targeting for Nebraska's 2015 class?

As of now, the Huskers have made offers to five running backs, four all-purpose backs, one fullback and a handful of athletes that could fit the bill (per 247Sports). None have committed, but Riley has to be thinking about the need to snag another running back or two. After all, more than half of the running backs on Nebraska's roster will be gone by the end of the 2016 season.

Prior to former head coach Bo Pelini's dismissal, Nebraska did have a running back commit from Kendall Bussey. Unfortunately, when Pelini left, Bussey's commitment left too, as reported by the Omaha World-Herald. While disappointing, it cleared the slate for Riley to find exactly who he wants for his future offense.

The good news is that Nebraska now has an official running backs coach to help target the right players. Riley recently announced the addition of Reggie Davis to his staff, per Huskers.com. That should help significantly in fielding quality running backs.

One player Riley and David should be going after is Miami, FL native Jordan Cronkrite. The athlete already has an offer from Nebraska (from Riley), but his interest seems to be low, based on his 247Sports profile.

Cronkrite is a 4-star recruit, which means he has a lot of interest from other programs. Just a few of those programs include Miami, West Virginia, Notre Dame and Florida. He was originally committed to Miami but decommitted on September 13.

In 2014, Cronkrite rushed for 1,172 yards and 10 touchdowns on 167 attempts, per Andrew Hall of SlapTheSign.com. It's easy to see why Riley was interested enough to offer Cronkrite a deal. With Davis now in place, Nebraska needs to make a push for him.

Another running back that Riley and Davis should be targeting is Nashville, TN native Ke'Shawn Vaughn. The 5'10.5", 250-pound running back is also a four-star and there's plenty to like about him.

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Just Picked Up The Offer From NEBRASKA ‼️‼️ #Huskers #CornHuskers #UNL #BIG10 ⚪️ pic.twitter.com/MuNxrvrZtU

— KE'SHAWN VAUGHN (@KV_XIV) December 21, 2014"

Earlier in December, Vaughn narrowed his list down to three programs (Purdue, Ohio State and Louisville) only to open it back up, per the Courier-Journal. That's good news for the Huskers, too.

Vaughn rushed for more than 2,600 yards at Pearl-Cohn High this year, as the Courier-Journal reported. He also won Tennessee's Mr. Football and is ranked the No. 233 recruit in 2015 by 247Sports.

“Ke’Shawn Vaughn is one of the best running backs I’ve ever seen on the field,” his high school coach Brian Harrell told USA Today, per Brian Christopherson of the Lincoln Journal Star. “He has outstanding balance, speed, strength and vision. The most underrated thing that goes unnoticed about him is his toughness.”

And then there is Birmingham, AL native Bradrick Shaw. At 6'1" and 205 pounds, Shaw is a 3-star, per 247Sports. He's an intriguing running back with offers from programs like Vanderbilt, Wisconsin, Alabama and Mississippi State, just to name a few.

His high school just won the Alabama Class 7A title, where he ran for 101 yards and two scores, per Josh Harvey of Big Red Report. The Huskers offered Shaw on December 19 following Bussey's decommitment from Nebraska. With plenty of programs interested in Shaw, he won't be an easy get for the Huskers. Regardless, he's worth pursuing.

With national signing day less than a month away, Riley will be on the hunt to find the right running back for his 2015 recruiting class. He's on the right path, having offered Cronkrite, Vaughn and Shaw.

Davis will also make finding the right running back easier for Nebraska. It's now a matter of going out and getting the commit once coaches are allowed to make contact again later this month.

Replacing Abdullah will not be easy. However, the right player might already be in front of Nebraska. Riley and Davis now just need to get that player (or two) to sign on the dotted line.