The Cornhuskers will head into the Big Ten supported with their current class of 2011 verbal commitments fully in their corner, at least according to one top recruit.
Sacred Heart-Griffin's (Springfield, Ill.) Ryan Klachko, one of the top offensive lineman in the nation, said that the Cornhuskers' crop of 2011 pledges is already a tight-knit group looking forward to any teams that Nebraska will do battle with.
Nebraska recruit Ryan Klachko is ready for the Big Ten.
Photo by Greg Behrens
"We're all pretty cool with it," said the 6-foot-4, 280-pound guard who committed to Nebraska in April. "Bring on whoever. We want to see how we stack up."
For Klachko, it doesn't really matter where the Cornhuskers play; Nebraska's prestige will follow the program anywhere.
"Nebraska is Nebraska," he said. "They're not going anywhere."
Neither are Nebraska's other 2011 recruits, it seems. Klachko said that the group is already tight-knit despite being very diverse geographically. Thanks to Facebook, they have been been able to connect across the country. The group of offensive linemen, arguably the finest haul in the nation thus far, shares a special camaraderie.
"When I first committed I had known that there were other offensive linemen already committed. Once I finally committed, we became closer, and it was cool knowing that the guys I'll be spending a lot of time with are cool guys," he said. "We have a great relationship."
One of Klachko's fellow linemen is 6-6, 290-pound Tyler Moore, one of the top prospects from Florida this year. Heavily courted by a number of SEC and ACC programs, Moore made an early pledge to Nebraska and shows no signs of backing off.
Joining Klachko and Moore on the offensive line are Ryan Reeves and Dylan Admire. Reeves plays at nearby Crete (Neb.) while Admire is a standout at Blue Valley West. Both should be among the most highly-recruited players in their respective states.
The cupboard's not bare when it comes to skill positions, either. Quarterback Jamal Turner will be an impact player for the Cornhuskers. A true dual-threat, Turner threw for 1,816 yards and 13 touchdowns while rushing for 1,809 yards and 19 scores.
Nebraska should still have a good chance to land running back Aaron Green, also from Texas, who's one of the more dynamic running backs in the country.
Clemson continues early momentum
After a terrific early start, there was some concern among Clemson fans that the Tigers would be unable to maintain their torrid recruiting pace.
It seems like those concerns were unfounded, as head coach Dabo Swinney has landed even more talented players and is on pace to bring in a banner class.
Mike Bellamy and Charone Peake both recently committed to Clemson, giving the Tigers two of the top players at their positions nationally.
Clemson had been courting the 6-5 Peake since his freshman year, where he stepped in at wide receiver and made an immediate impact for Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.), one of the state's top teams. Bellamy could find himself with a similar role to the graduated C.J. Spiller, another top Florida back who chose Clemson. He's a huge scoring threat that could make a difference right away if he adds a little more size to his 5-10, 175-pound frame.
He'll be joined in the backfield by fellow Sunshine State product Marlin Lane, a powerful rusher who missed time last year due to a knee injury. Once fully recovered, watch for Lane to have a highly productive senior season.
Eric MacLain is another coveted recruit who has already pledged to Clemson. The Tigers are still in the mix for the likes of Jay Rome, Brandon Shell and several other mega-recruits, which could help Clemson land a top 10 class.
Sophomore linebackers getting love
It's early for the class of 2013, but a number of players are early emerging as strong candidates for the MaxPreps Fresh Faces Class of 2013 Top 100, particularly.
DeMatha's (Hyattsville, Md.) E.J. Levenberry will be one of the top players in his class. He saw varsity action as a ninth-grader for the Stags, which has been extremey uncommon in head coach Bill McGregor's storied tenure.
He's already being recruited heavily by Florida, Alabama and Virginia Tech. Alabama hopes to have an inside path to Levenberry, after landing former Stag Arie Kouandjio and pursuing his brother, class of 2011 recruit Cyrus. However, it appears that the Gators are the team to beat at this point.
Chaminade-Julienne (Dayton, Ohio) linebacker Darrien Howard, one of the top freshmen in Ohio last season, recently picked up an offer from Cincinnati. It should be the first of many for Howard, a tough, physical inside linebacker.
Butler's (Matthews, N.C.) Peter Kalambayi has an offer from Auburn, but is being courted by a number of programs around the Southeast.
Other linebackers in the class of 2013 making an early impression include Johnny O'Neal, Jason Hatcher, Reuben Foster and Tyree Gray.
