Nebraska Football Recruiting: Looking Ahead to 2016 Class

The Nebraska football team may have just secured its 2015 recruiting class, but it's already time to look ahead. For head coach Mike Riley, the 2016 class will be a true test.

After all, Riley only had two months to recruit after being hired at Nebraska. His first class is a strong one, but the 2016 class will truly be his, as Sam McKewon of the Omaha World-Herald noted.

"The 2016 class—the “regime change” class as I like to call it—is Riley’s best chance to upgrade the talent and tailor the roster toward his vision with a big haul of coveted prospects," McKewon wrote.

McKewon even predicted the 2016 class to be as good as former head coach Bo Pelini's 2013 class, which is saying a lot. He even said it could come close to the 2005 and 2007 classes when Bill Callahan was in charge. Long story short, there's a lot of potential for Riley's second recruiting class at Nebraska.

As of now, the Huskers have three hard commits, per 247Sports. All three committed under Pelini. As for Riley, he's already making offers left and right, primarily on the West Coast. Some names may even look familiar, which shouldn't shock too many. He's already making a big push for players he previously recruited for Oregon State.

With that said, what do fans need to know about the next class so far? This is an in-depth look at some of the biggest takeaways for Nebraska's 2016 recruiting class.

All player statistics and recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Potential Big Class

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Sam McKewon of the Omaha World-Herald is already predicting a big outcome for Riley's 2016 class.

"A prediction: The 2016 class will be at least as good as Bo Pelini’s best class—the 2013 group—and probably rival the 2005 and 2007 Bill Callahan classes, which were 30 and 27 signees, respectively," McKewon wrote. "Given the size of Nebraska’s 2015 senior class (20 scholarship players), and the attrition that typically hits hard any team that changes coaches, the 2016 class should go north of 25 players. Perhaps nearing 30."

So that means Nebraska's 2016 class has the potential to literally be a big one. In the process, Riley will now have to fill key gaps that were not addressed with the 2015 class.

As McKewon noted, Riley did right by Pelini's recruits. The new head coach didn't have much time, of course, but he was focused and did what he could to secure most of the players that had already committed to Nebraska before his hire.

In 2016, Riley will be able to control more of what he wants and needs. There will definitely be positions that need some extra attention, like offensive tackle. Riley will likely address those needs, while also taking one of Nebraska's biggest classes in a few years.

Finding a Quarterback

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Riley didn't take a quarterback in the 2015 class on national signing day, but that shouldn't concern anyone. Nebraska had needs at plenty of other positions that made Riley and his staff decide to hold on making a strong push for any one quarterback.

“The biggest mistake you can make being brand new and being anxious to fill a class is to rush into judgment about a player and not know enough,” Riley told McKewon. “There’s a tendency to want to do that because you have some depth needs, but you’re better off with a blank spot than you are with a guy who’s not good enough to play. You’ve got to hold yourself back a little.”

Plus, Riley has quarterback Tommy Armstrong, who has the experience to start. Armstrong will likely get some competition from both Johnny Stanton and Ryker Fyfe, but it seems like Riley's staff is good with Armstrong, as he told Rich Kaipust of the Omaha World-Herald:

"

I really like him. I think he’s bright and I think he’s really invested. That’s what I like most about quarterbacks. After that talent level, the thing that you want to know is: Are they kind of football junkies? Are they going to hang around the office? He’s always here. I love it.

"

However, even if Armstrong is Nebraska's guy until he graduates, Riley has to be prepared for the future. That would mean finding a quarterback for the 2016 class would be an absolute priority for Riley and his staff.

Immediate Need at Offensive Tackle

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Nebraska has four senior offensive tackles on its roster for 2015. Those are Alex Lewis, Givens Price, Zach Sterup and Matt Finnin. After that? Nebraska may be left with only David Knevel and 2015 signee Christian Gaylord, per McKewon.

That means the offensive tackle will be one fans will want to keep a close eye on for the 2016 class. After all, a quarterback needs a strong offensive line, so the lack of depth has to be concerning for Riley and his staff.

Nebraska offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh will be the man to know for the 2016 class. He joined the Huskers from Riley's staff at Oregon State, where he also coached the offensive line.

In 2016, Cavanaugh will need to find some additional recruits to fill the spots left by this year's seniors. As of right now, the Huskers have a commit from 4-star offensive tackle Bryan Brokop. That clearly won't be enough.

Expect Riley and Cavanaugh to take a look at junior colleges, where he may be able to snag some players to make an immediate impact for the Huskers.

Defensive End a Priority Again

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The defensive end position was an area of focus for Riley in the 2015 class. It's going to be an area of focus again for 2016.

So far, Nebraska has made offers to 10 defensive ends for the 2016 class. That's definitely a good start. However, defensive coordinator Mark Banker and defensive line coach Hank Hughes will have their work cut out for them.

Riley's staff did receive letters of intent from both Daishon Neal and Alex Davis for the 2015 recruiting class, which is beneficial immediately. Either could make a quick impact alongside both Greg McMullen and Jack Gangwish, who do have experience. That's a good start for Banker and Hughes.

That's not a permanent solution, though. As McKewon noted, it's time for Riley's staff to step up and fill the voids:

"

There isn't any reason why Nebraska can't go after—and nab—a few elite high school players at end. Carl Pelini couldn't do it. Rick Kaczenski got Randy Gregory—who was excellent—and Daishon Neal, who has major upside, but otherwise had a very spotty recruiting track record. Mark Banker and Hank Hughes have their turn at bat.

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Fans will be hoping for both to knock it out of the park.

The 500-Mile Radius

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Riley understands the importance of the 500 miles that surround the University of Nebraska. It's been discussed plenty already. However, the 2016 class will show just how serious Riley is.

“Our goal for the future will be to own this state—and obviously that means Omaha,” Riley said at the Outland Trophy banquet, per Kaipust and Jon Nyatawa of the Omaha World-Herald.

He made an immediate impression, especially in reaffirming the commitment and then receiving the letter of intent from Omaha's Neal. Beyond that, looking at the 2015 class, it's filled with players from states like Kansas, Missouri and Colorado. That has to be exciting for local talent.

Expect Riley's attention closer to home to be a big storyline for the 2016 recruiting class. It will say a lot about the strategy of this staff going forward.