5 Recruits Nebraska Must Land

It is never too early to start thinking about the 2012 season.

Nebraska had high expectations coming into its first season in the Big Ten Conference. The Cornhuskers were picked to win the Legends Division and the first ever Big Ten Championship Game. The Cornhuskers missed out on their chance to reach their goals, and if Nebraska does not bring in a solid recruiting class before the national signing day, the Cornhuskers will not make it to the Big Ten Championship Game in 2012 either.

Nebraska has a lot of talent coming back on the offensive side of the ball, as quarterback Taylor Martinez and running back Rex Burkhead will once again lead a talented Nebraska offense in 2012. Running back Ameer Abdullah and wide receivers Kenny Bell and Quincy Enunwa to also play a significant role in the Cornhuskers’ offense next year.

The focus for Nebraska’s recruiting should be on the defensive side of the ball. Nebraska will be losing linebacker Lavonte David, defensive tackle Jared Crick, defensive back Alfonzo Dennard, and safety Austin Cassidy at the end of the season. The loss of these players will leave a tremendous gap in the Blackshirt defense if Nebraska is unable to pull some rabbits out of its recruiting hat over the next two months.

Head coach Bo Pelini is racking up his frequent flyer miles by traveling to all ends of the country, trying to shore up Nebraska’s recruiting class. According to Rivals.com, Nebraska is rated No. 43 nationally in recruiting for the 2012 season. Nebraska has eight players signed, but none of the players are 5-star recruits.

If Nebraska plays its cards right, it will be able to bring in enough pieces to shore up the 2012 Blackshirts defense and make a run for the Big Ten Championship. Here is a list of five players who would help Nebraska the most if they were to sign with the Cornhuskers.

Quanzell Lambert, LB, Timber Creek (New Jersey)

Quanzell Lambert is a big linebacker that could help replace Nebraska’s All-American linebacker Lavonte David. While it would be impossible for one player to replace David, Lambert has the size and skills to be productive in the Blackshirts defense.

According to Rivals.com Lambert is a 4-star middle linebacker and the No. 13-ranked middle linebacker in the country. Lambert has not made his choice for the 2012 season, but his list includes: Nebraska, Northwestern, Iowa and Rutgers.

Jordan Diggs, S, Island Coast (Florida)

Nebraska will need a safety next year to replace Austin Cassidy. The young players on Nebraska’s team in 2011 failed to step up, so the Cornhuskers may fill this roster spot with a freshman. The player could be Jordan Diggs if Nebraska is able to land him.

According to Rivals.com, Diggs is a 4-star safety and the No. 11-ranked safety in the country. Diggs is looking at four schools to take his services to: Nebraska, Michigan State, South Carolina and Tennessee. It will be hard to recruit Diggs out of SEC country, but if the Cornhuskers were able to do so, they would have a playmaker at the safety position.

Mohammed Seisay, CB, Eastern Arizona College

Nebraska must find a replacement for its preseason All-American cornerback, Alfonzo Dennard. Freshman Andrew Green seems to have locked up one cornerback position with his solid play at the end of the 2011 season, and Nebraska may bring in a junior college player to take over at the other cornerback position. The player could be Mohammed Seisay.

According to Rivals.com, Seisay is a 4-star recruit. The website does not rate junior college players by position, but Scouts.com rates him as one of its top junior college cornerbacks.

Seisay has two teams he is interested in: Nebraska and Arkansas. It will all depend on who he wants to play for, the SEC or the Big Ten.

Polo Manukainiu, DE, Trinity (Texas)

The biggest problem with Nebraska’s defense in 2011 was its inability to generate a pass rush on opposing quarterbacks. The loss of defensive tackle Jared Crick will not help the Blackshirts. Nebraska must find some players who can play on the defensive line in 2012.

Polo Manukainiu could be the player the Cornhuskers are looking for. Manukainiu is a 6’6” and 256-pound defensive end. According to Rivals.com Manukainiu is a 3-star defensive end and rated the No. 28 defensive end in the country.

He was once committed to Oklahoma but backed out of his commitment. His list now includes Nebraska and Utah.

Andrus Peat, OT, Corona Del Sol (Arizona)

While most of Nebraska’s needs lie on the defensive side of the ball, the Cornhuskers could also use an offensive lineman who could solidify the line for Nebraska.

Andrus Peat is a player who could come in and start immediately for Nebraska. According to Rivals.com Peat is a 5-star offensive tackle and rated the No. 3 offensive tackle in the country. If Nebraska were able to land Peat, he would be its first 5-star recruit to sign in this year’s draft class.

Peat has not made his decision on where he wants to play in 2012. His list includes: Nebraska, Stanford, USC and Florida State.

It is too early to tell how Nebraska has done in recruiting for next season. This may be Pelini’s most important recruiting class of his career at Nebraska. If he is able to bring in a solid class this year, Nebraska will be set up for years to come. If he fails, Nebraska could be looking for a new coach in the near future.

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