2013 Class Coming Together

Nebraska's 2013 recruiting class has grown considerably in the last week. The Huskers added four verbal commitments in the last seven days, all of them at key positions. The class now stands at 23 members (three of whom are on campus already), and is climbing the national rankings. What's next for NU as they look to finish the recruiting cycle with a full contingent of players?

New and Not-So-New Names
The four players Nebraska added in the last four days include defensive end Ernest Suttles, tight end Cethan Carter, offensive tackle Matt Finnin and athlete Tre'vell Dixon. While Suttles, Carter and Finnin might be rather new names for Husker fans to know, Dixon may be familiar to some.

The Baldwin, Louisiana prospect was the first player to pledge to NU for 2013. He did so way back last February. Since then, his position coach left NU and he looked around at other schools. After re-establishing a relationship with NU coaches, he decided he wanted to be a Husker. The 4-star prospect could play either offense or defense for the Huskers and is a good sign of NU having momentum as national signing day approaches.

Climbing the Rankings
With 23 prospects, the Husker class is moving up the national ratings when compared to other schools. Among the major recruit ranking services, NU's group ranks #13 on Scout, #14 on Rivals and #16 on 247 Sports. Should NU coaches land a full compliment of players in this class, a top-15 finish in the class rankings seems more likely every day.

Potential Sour Grapes?
There is action in the other direction for NU as well. There is always the potential for the sour grapes that comes with last-minute defections. This year, NU safety prospect Marcus McWilson is taking a long look at the University of Kentucky. Former Husker graduate assistant Vince Marrow recruited McWilson (from Ohio) and now has a full time position with Kentucky. Nebraska  has work to do to keep McWilson solidly in the NU class.

Another Husker prospect is flirting with an SEC school. Wide receiver Dominic Walker is considering Auburn. He's been quoted as saying there is a 75% chance he ends up a Tiger. Apparently his high school teammate is an Auburn pledge and Walker wants to join him.

Who is Next?
Based on my napkin math, Nebraska could take as many as 28 players in this class. They are allowed 25, and the Big Ten allows you to sign three additional players. Some players are already on campus and could count against last year's scholarship limit. Nebraska may also pass on some scholarships to worthy walk-on players already on their roster. So, when you put all those factors together, Nebraska may actually add another 4 or 5 players. So, who are they?

Based on the class needs and recent visits to campus, the names to watch are Boaz Joseph (a defensive back) and offensive tackles Dwayne Johnson and Chongo Kondolo. Beyond the obvious all-name-team potential for Johnson and Kondolo, Nebraska is still in the market for offensive line help. Joseph is one of two defensive backs still on NU's list of targets. At 6'1'' and 190 pounds, he fits the Huskers' mold of bigger defensive backs. The other defensive back name to watch closely is Priest Willis. The five-star talent out of Arizona has the Huskers in his group of final schools. That will likely be decision made in the next week or so, or possibly even a signing-day decision.