MaxPreps 2018 Nebraska Early Signing Period recap

Video: Top Recruits announcing on Early Signing Day
See where the top national recruits decided on going.

The activity and suspense from round one has just about wrapped up and Nebraska can lay claim to six recruits who signed Division I National Letters of Intent. There is one more who is still committed, but has not signed a binding Letter of Intent.

Cameron Jurgens ready to move Nebraska upward

When Scott Frost was tabbed as Nebraska's next head football coach just a few short weeks ago, the job of elevating the Nebraska football program back to national prominence fell squarely on his shoulders. But now the former Nebraska national champion quarterback is getting some help in the form of athletes.

Beatrice tight end Cameron Jurgens, who also considered LSU, signed his letter of intent Wednesday during the early signing period and officially became a Husker. Former Nebraska coach Mike Riley began the recruitment of Jurgens, and Frost closed the deal.

"It was definitely a tough decision," Jurgens told the Omaha World Herald of choosing between Nebraska and LSU. "But after meeting Coach Frost and all the coaches and staff, I think the direction this football staff is headed and where we want to be, I'm super excited to get in on the ground floor of it. After meeting Coach Frost and just talking to him one or two times, there's no doubt in my mind I'm a Husker."

Jurgens also had this to say to the Lincoln Journal Star: "I think where (coach Scott Frost) wants to be, his direction, and how he wants to bring Husker football back, it just gives you the chills. You just want to be with that. You want to be the change."
Bryson Williams stays true to Wisconsin

Frost almost convinced Bryson Williams of Lincoln Southeast to stay home as well. But the defensive tackle stayed true to his original commitment and signed with the Badgers after seriously considering making the switch.

"Oh man, it was the only thing in my head throughout a lot of days and until nighttime when I was in bed – just because of the short time I had to make the decision and just because of exactly what the decision was," Williams told the Lincoln Journal Star. "It was definitely one of the biggest decisions of my life, and I had a little over a week-and-a-half to make it. I thought about it all the time."

For Williams, graduating from high school early and getting to Wisconsin as soon as possible is crucial in getting a jump on possible playing time.

"It is one of the greatest feelings that I have ever had," he told the Omaha World Herald. "I can't express how excited I am to get to Madison and start working.

"I am trying to take advantage of everything I do," he continued. "If I can get there six months earlier than everybody else and extend my opportunity to play, then I am going to do it."

Frost backs up intentions on expanding Nebraska's walk-on program

A year ago, Riley's staff added an additional seven Nebraska prep football players to Husker Nation through the walk-on program. But one of Frost's first points of emphasis after being named Riley's replacement was the expansion of that very walk-on program, which many fans say was the heart and soul of Husker football over the years.

So far, Frost has backed up his intentions. Thirteen Nebraska athletes, some of whom have spurned scholarship offers from other schools, have already commited to becoming preferred walk-ons at Nebraska - and we're not even in January yet. Six of them went through the proper channels to make their intentions official Wednesday. The rest, and possibly some additional athletes, are expected to do so during February's signing period.

According to Huskers Illustrated, here is the list of athletes that are official walk-ons at Nebraska: Justin Holm Lincoln Southwest, Collin Shefke (Lincoln Southwest), Cameron Pieper (Lincoln Southwest), Chris Cassidy Pius X (Lincoln), Brody Belt Millard West (Omaha) and Ryan Schommer Norfolk.

Here are some fun facts from what went down during the early signing period in Nebraska:

• As of now, six Nebraska high school football players have officially accepted scholarships to play football at either the FBS or FCS levels next fall. All are going to different schools. They are: Cameron Jurgens (Beatrice) Nebraska, Tijaih Davis Boys Town South Dakota State, Zach Schlager McCook Colorado State, Bryce Stai Norris (Firth) Ohio University, Jayden Scott Concordia (Omaha) Northern Iowa and Bryson Williams (Lincoln Southeast) Wisconsin.

• Masry Mapieu of York is commited to Nebraska. But the defensive tackle is waiting until February to sign. His signing will eventually bring Nebraska's list of 2018 Division I scholarship football players to seven.

• As of Wednesday evening, Jurgens was the highest rated Nebraska prep football player according to 247sports.com at 189th out of the 3,774 ranked athletes. Mapieu (989th) and Williams (999th) also made the top 1,000.

• Like brother, like brother. Shortly after his brother Jake's football career ends at Colorado State following the 2017 football season, McCook's Zach Schlager will be beginning his career as a Ram in 2018.

• Of the 12 Nebraska prep football players that made their intentions known Wednesday, by either accepting a
scholarship or walking-on, seven came out of the Class A ranks. Three athletes resided in Class B, Nebraska's second largest classification, while Class C1 produced a pair of Division I football players.

• Several Nebraska athletes like Moses Bryant Elkhorn South (Omaha), Milton Sargbah Omaha North and Grant Matthies Creighton Prep (Omaha) still have to make a decision on where to play at the next level. So stay tuned until February's Signing Day to find out who else is playing where come next fall.