Arsenal of Doom
Footballguy
Nebraska Pipeline
Since I've been posting quite a bit about the Nebraska players in this year's draft, I thought I'd also take a few minutes to write some notes on players that will be coming through in the next couple of years. Callahan was terrific recruiter as a college assistant, and has placed a huge emphasis on recruiting for the program. With some better talent starting to come through and Callahan's WCO getting fully up to speed, there will be more and more NFL prospects coming out. Here are a few that we should be keeping an eye on.
QB: Sam Keller, Sr.
Ousted as the starting ASU QB before the start of the season, in a move that arguably cost Dirk Koetter his job. He played the toughest part of the 2005 schedule, only to get injured and see Rudy Carpenter put up ridiculous numbers against lesser teams.
Keller has a big time arm and has family NFL ties. He has all of the physical tools; prototypical size, can make all of the throws, not tremendously fast but decent quickness and pocket movement. He's had this season to get up to speed on the Nebraska offense, and by all accounts was able to move the ball effectively with the scout team against Neb's 1st team Defense. Keller is under the radar after this season, but has the potential to have a huge 2007. If he does, he'll be in the 1st round mix for 2008.
RB: Marlon Lucky, Jr.
Was regarded as one of the top RB prospects in the country in 2005 but had a disappointing Freshman campaign. He rebounded in 2006 and displayed the potential to be a true home run threat before ultimately being beaten out of the starting job by Brandon Jackson. Lucky is an extremely versatile runner, who combines excellent quickness, burst, speed, size, and receiving skills. His vision and patience improved significantly between his freshman and sophomore years, however he still tended to go down on the initial contact and bounce too quickly to the outside. Although he is 6' and close to 220 lbs, he relies more on his quickness and speed. He has flashed the power you would expect with a back his size, but not consistently. Word from those close to the team is that he has lagged behind the other backs in strength and conditioning, and was basically outworked by Jackson this year. He'll be the easy front-runner to be the lead back in 2007, so he'll have every opportunity to continue to improve. If he does, and maximizes his talent, he could easily put up a 1,500 + 500 combined yardage season. Needs to show it on the field, but has the potential to be a 1st rounder in 08 or 09.
RB: Cody Glenn, Jr.
A big back who uses his size extremely well. He has good feet and an exceptional feel for seems in short yardage situations. He has an outside shot of winning the starting RB position in 2007, but he needs to overcome some nagging injuries that bothered him this year and make huge strides in his blocking and receiving skills. More likely; he will be the back-up to Lucky, short yardage back and may also see the field as a FB in some two back sets. Glenn is someone that should watched, particularly if he can develop as a receiving threat. He's a powerful runner who could end up being a second day sleeper if he stays in Lucky's shadow for two more years.
WR: Maurice Purify, Sr.
Purify burst onto the Nebraska scene this year with big plays against Texas and the game winning catch against A&M. Was the top rated Juco WR in 2006, and gradually took on a bigger role in the offense as the season went on. Purify is a legit 6'4" and has very good to excellent hands, I've rarely seen passes get through to his body. He has good size to go along with his height, and uses it effectively as a blocker and to get off jams. The question about Purify is his speed. He has timed in the 4.5 range, but didn't always look that fast on the field. He didn't seem to get much separation against the better DBs he went up against this year. He'll be the lead receiver next year and should put up good numbers with Keller. At this point he looks like a possession receiver who should end up as a first day prospect, how high he goes will probably be determined by how he runs.
WR: Terrance Nunn, Sr.
Decent speed and size, but below average hands. Could possibly make a team as a slot receiver and return specialist, but is probably a long shot to be drafted at this juncture.
OL: Matt Slauson, Jr.
Huge, mean, nasty. He's been Nebraska's best offensive lineman for two years as a RT. He'll move inside to his natural guard position next season and should continue to excel. He should be one of the best OGs in the country and is a potential first day selection. He's the best offensive lineman at Nebraska since Incognito.
OL: Carl Nicks, Sr.
A top Juco transfer in 2006. He saw somewhat limited action in 06, but should start at RT in 07. At this point he is a sleeper, but he has all the tools to excel at RT or LT. He could really emerge with a strong 2007. Keep an eye open here.
DE: Barry Turner, Jr.
Had an outstanding freshman season, but didn't build on it in his sophomore year outside of some big plays on special teams. He was still good enough warrant time on the field along side Carriker and Moore. Has great quickness and the potential to be a dominant edge rusher, but we need to see more impact on the field. This is his step up year. He'll need to be the leader of the DL.
DT: Ndamukong Suh, So. (RS)
Great size and athleticism. Was Nebraska's most disruptive interior lineman despite not starting and rotating with Dagunduro. Played exceptionally well against USC. Will likely start and see more extensive time in 07. It's early for him, but he has flashed early first day ability.
MLB: Corey Mckeon, Sr.
Undersized but quick and tough. More quick than fast, plays well in space but seems to struggle in traffic. Could be moved to SAM position in 07 to make room for redshirt SO Phillip Dillard. Needs to have a good senior season and play well in post-season games. He'll probably be a 2nd day pick and special teams player at the next level.
LB: Bo Ruud, Sr.
Barrett's younger brother. He'll be a three year starter at the WIL position, who has consistently made big plays. Has good size and decent speed, but he hasn't played with much a of a mean streak and needs to be tougher. He's probably better suited to play SAM, but again hasn't shown the toughness to hold up at the point of attack. Ruud is probably going to be a borderline first-second day player, similar to Stewart Bradley this year. Has the potential to go either higher or lower though.
LB: Steve Octavien, Sr.
Is an absolute terror when in shape and healthy. Unfortunately he has been unable to stay in shape or healthy. I'm mentioning him here on the chance that he does pull it together. Has the potential to dominate, but nothing points to that ever happening at present.
CB: Zachary Bowman, Sr.
Losing Bowman to a knee injury was a huge blow to Nebraska in 2006. The cascade effect of forcing Andre Jones to start early and keeping Grixby out of the Nickel position hurt the defense as a whole. Has outstanding size, speed, and quickness. Came in as a Juco transfer in 05 and was starting to show signs of dominating by late in the year. He would probably have been a 2nd round pick if he came out this year. Decided to play his senior season to build on the confidence he was picking up in 05, and has the potential to be the top CB in the 08 draft.
CB: Andre Jones, Sr.
Like Bowman, Jones was a 5 star Juco transfer. Unfortunately the injury to Bowman forced him into a prominent role too early and he struggled for much of the year. He showed signs of coming on late in the season, but not the dominating flashes that we saw from Bowman. He's not as big as Bowman, but still has above average size for a CB and good speed. He'll benefit from a full off-season of training with the team, and has the ability to play his way into first day consideration.
CB: Courtney Grixby, Sr.
Grix was routinely outmatched by larger WRs, and despite having excellent overall athleticism does not possess the quickness and speed to make up for his diminutive size. The USC and Oklahoma games were painful to watch, as time after time they went after Grixby who was simply unable to make plays. He'll do much better as the Nickel back this year, but is a long shot to be drafted.
S: Tierre Green, Sr.
Ahman's cousin. Tierre has played a different position every season at Nebraska. RB as a Fr., CB as a So., SS as a Jr, and will likely be moved to FS for his senior year. He'll be pushed to keep his job by So. Rickey Tenarse but should see extensive field time regardless. Green ran the fastest 40 on the team during winter conditioning, but his speed has not translated into playmaking ability. He did make a huge tackle from behind on special teams to keep Nebraska in the Texas game early. His speed and bloodlines will probably get him a second day look, and he could be a factor as a special teams player at the next level.
Others and Younger players to watch:
WR: Will Henry, Fr. (RS): 6'6" WR with legit 4.5 speed, and Keller's favorite target on the scout team.
WR: Meno Holt, So.: Didn't catch a pass as a true freshman, but has an NFL body. Will get a chance to play in 07 or 08.
RB: Kenny Wilson, Sr.: A dark horse in the RB race next year. Faster and stronger than Lucky, but hasn't shown the natural running ability.
OT: Lydon Murtha, Jr. (RS): Has been a disappointment up to this point, but is easily the most physically talented of Neb's OTs and looks the part at 6"7" 320.
OG: Keith Williams, Fr. (RS): Dominated on the scout team as a true Freshman. Will compete for a starting position in 07.
MLB: Phillip Dillard, So. (RS) Bruising downhill MLB, lost 06 season to a knee injury.
CB/S: Rickey Thenarse, So.: Major special teams contributor as a freshman, plays with a nasty steak, legit 4.4 speed and good size.
S: Major Culbert, So. : Similar special teams impact as Thenarse, not as fast but could grow into a WIL.
Since I've been posting quite a bit about the Nebraska players in this year's draft, I thought I'd also take a few minutes to write some notes on players that will be coming through in the next couple of years. Callahan was terrific recruiter as a college assistant, and has placed a huge emphasis on recruiting for the program. With some better talent starting to come through and Callahan's WCO getting fully up to speed, there will be more and more NFL prospects coming out. Here are a few that we should be keeping an eye on.
QB: Sam Keller, Sr.
Ousted as the starting ASU QB before the start of the season, in a move that arguably cost Dirk Koetter his job. He played the toughest part of the 2005 schedule, only to get injured and see Rudy Carpenter put up ridiculous numbers against lesser teams.
Keller has a big time arm and has family NFL ties. He has all of the physical tools; prototypical size, can make all of the throws, not tremendously fast but decent quickness and pocket movement. He's had this season to get up to speed on the Nebraska offense, and by all accounts was able to move the ball effectively with the scout team against Neb's 1st team Defense. Keller is under the radar after this season, but has the potential to have a huge 2007. If he does, he'll be in the 1st round mix for 2008.
RB: Marlon Lucky, Jr.
Was regarded as one of the top RB prospects in the country in 2005 but had a disappointing Freshman campaign. He rebounded in 2006 and displayed the potential to be a true home run threat before ultimately being beaten out of the starting job by Brandon Jackson. Lucky is an extremely versatile runner, who combines excellent quickness, burst, speed, size, and receiving skills. His vision and patience improved significantly between his freshman and sophomore years, however he still tended to go down on the initial contact and bounce too quickly to the outside. Although he is 6' and close to 220 lbs, he relies more on his quickness and speed. He has flashed the power you would expect with a back his size, but not consistently. Word from those close to the team is that he has lagged behind the other backs in strength and conditioning, and was basically outworked by Jackson this year. He'll be the easy front-runner to be the lead back in 2007, so he'll have every opportunity to continue to improve. If he does, and maximizes his talent, he could easily put up a 1,500 + 500 combined yardage season. Needs to show it on the field, but has the potential to be a 1st rounder in 08 or 09.
RB: Cody Glenn, Jr.
A big back who uses his size extremely well. He has good feet and an exceptional feel for seems in short yardage situations. He has an outside shot of winning the starting RB position in 2007, but he needs to overcome some nagging injuries that bothered him this year and make huge strides in his blocking and receiving skills. More likely; he will be the back-up to Lucky, short yardage back and may also see the field as a FB in some two back sets. Glenn is someone that should watched, particularly if he can develop as a receiving threat. He's a powerful runner who could end up being a second day sleeper if he stays in Lucky's shadow for two more years.
WR: Maurice Purify, Sr.
Purify burst onto the Nebraska scene this year with big plays against Texas and the game winning catch against A&M. Was the top rated Juco WR in 2006, and gradually took on a bigger role in the offense as the season went on. Purify is a legit 6'4" and has very good to excellent hands, I've rarely seen passes get through to his body. He has good size to go along with his height, and uses it effectively as a blocker and to get off jams. The question about Purify is his speed. He has timed in the 4.5 range, but didn't always look that fast on the field. He didn't seem to get much separation against the better DBs he went up against this year. He'll be the lead receiver next year and should put up good numbers with Keller. At this point he looks like a possession receiver who should end up as a first day prospect, how high he goes will probably be determined by how he runs.
WR: Terrance Nunn, Sr.
Decent speed and size, but below average hands. Could possibly make a team as a slot receiver and return specialist, but is probably a long shot to be drafted at this juncture.
OL: Matt Slauson, Jr.
Huge, mean, nasty. He's been Nebraska's best offensive lineman for two years as a RT. He'll move inside to his natural guard position next season and should continue to excel. He should be one of the best OGs in the country and is a potential first day selection. He's the best offensive lineman at Nebraska since Incognito.
OL: Carl Nicks, Sr.
A top Juco transfer in 2006. He saw somewhat limited action in 06, but should start at RT in 07. At this point he is a sleeper, but he has all the tools to excel at RT or LT. He could really emerge with a strong 2007. Keep an eye open here.
DE: Barry Turner, Jr.
Had an outstanding freshman season, but didn't build on it in his sophomore year outside of some big plays on special teams. He was still good enough warrant time on the field along side Carriker and Moore. Has great quickness and the potential to be a dominant edge rusher, but we need to see more impact on the field. This is his step up year. He'll need to be the leader of the DL.
DT: Ndamukong Suh, So. (RS)
Great size and athleticism. Was Nebraska's most disruptive interior lineman despite not starting and rotating with Dagunduro. Played exceptionally well against USC. Will likely start and see more extensive time in 07. It's early for him, but he has flashed early first day ability.
MLB: Corey Mckeon, Sr.
Undersized but quick and tough. More quick than fast, plays well in space but seems to struggle in traffic. Could be moved to SAM position in 07 to make room for redshirt SO Phillip Dillard. Needs to have a good senior season and play well in post-season games. He'll probably be a 2nd day pick and special teams player at the next level.
LB: Bo Ruud, Sr.
Barrett's younger brother. He'll be a three year starter at the WIL position, who has consistently made big plays. Has good size and decent speed, but he hasn't played with much a of a mean streak and needs to be tougher. He's probably better suited to play SAM, but again hasn't shown the toughness to hold up at the point of attack. Ruud is probably going to be a borderline first-second day player, similar to Stewart Bradley this year. Has the potential to go either higher or lower though.
LB: Steve Octavien, Sr.
Is an absolute terror when in shape and healthy. Unfortunately he has been unable to stay in shape or healthy. I'm mentioning him here on the chance that he does pull it together. Has the potential to dominate, but nothing points to that ever happening at present.
CB: Zachary Bowman, Sr.
Losing Bowman to a knee injury was a huge blow to Nebraska in 2006. The cascade effect of forcing Andre Jones to start early and keeping Grixby out of the Nickel position hurt the defense as a whole. Has outstanding size, speed, and quickness. Came in as a Juco transfer in 05 and was starting to show signs of dominating by late in the year. He would probably have been a 2nd round pick if he came out this year. Decided to play his senior season to build on the confidence he was picking up in 05, and has the potential to be the top CB in the 08 draft.
CB: Andre Jones, Sr.
Like Bowman, Jones was a 5 star Juco transfer. Unfortunately the injury to Bowman forced him into a prominent role too early and he struggled for much of the year. He showed signs of coming on late in the season, but not the dominating flashes that we saw from Bowman. He's not as big as Bowman, but still has above average size for a CB and good speed. He'll benefit from a full off-season of training with the team, and has the ability to play his way into first day consideration.
CB: Courtney Grixby, Sr.
Grix was routinely outmatched by larger WRs, and despite having excellent overall athleticism does not possess the quickness and speed to make up for his diminutive size. The USC and Oklahoma games were painful to watch, as time after time they went after Grixby who was simply unable to make plays. He'll do much better as the Nickel back this year, but is a long shot to be drafted.
S: Tierre Green, Sr.
Ahman's cousin. Tierre has played a different position every season at Nebraska. RB as a Fr., CB as a So., SS as a Jr, and will likely be moved to FS for his senior year. He'll be pushed to keep his job by So. Rickey Tenarse but should see extensive field time regardless. Green ran the fastest 40 on the team during winter conditioning, but his speed has not translated into playmaking ability. He did make a huge tackle from behind on special teams to keep Nebraska in the Texas game early. His speed and bloodlines will probably get him a second day look, and he could be a factor as a special teams player at the next level.
Others and Younger players to watch:
WR: Will Henry, Fr. (RS): 6'6" WR with legit 4.5 speed, and Keller's favorite target on the scout team.
WR: Meno Holt, So.: Didn't catch a pass as a true freshman, but has an NFL body. Will get a chance to play in 07 or 08.
RB: Kenny Wilson, Sr.: A dark horse in the RB race next year. Faster and stronger than Lucky, but hasn't shown the natural running ability.
OT: Lydon Murtha, Jr. (RS): Has been a disappointment up to this point, but is easily the most physically talented of Neb's OTs and looks the part at 6"7" 320.
OG: Keith Williams, Fr. (RS): Dominated on the scout team as a true Freshman. Will compete for a starting position in 07.
MLB: Phillip Dillard, So. (RS) Bruising downhill MLB, lost 06 season to a knee injury.
CB/S: Rickey Thenarse, So.: Major special teams contributor as a freshman, plays with a nasty steak, legit 4.4 speed and good size.
S: Major Culbert, So. : Similar special teams impact as Thenarse, not as fast but could grow into a WIL.
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that team is slow and callahan is a horrible gameday coach.
