As we move down the runway toward our list, these Huskers are certainly key cogs as Nebraska football tries to take the next step.
Brian Christopherson
It's something we do every summer.Done without any hot take energy, butit is a way to think about the Nebraska depth chart and – let's be real – get us through June and July while doing so.
Most Indispensable Huskers. This year it's 24 in '24.
And this is also where it's pointed out this isn't simply a ranking of Nebraska's best players. It's not just about perceived talent, but it's about the depth surrounding the players mentioned as much. How much do you worry about the drop off if a certain player weren't available? Although, sometimes even at a deeper spot, the talent is soobvious that person goes near the top of the list.
It'snot easy, because sometimes there's a young player or transfer who we haven't seen as much or anything from in a Husker uniform but you *think* they'll matter a lot. Or sometimes there's a guy who teased his talents last year like James Williams as a fringe player who you just wonder if he might explode this fall.
Or sometimes we're just wrong.
What I do know is all these names below, who weren't in our 24 voted on by myself, Michael Bruntz and Mike Schaefer, are among those important to the Husker cause this fall. And maybe at least a couple will have us thinking of them as top 10 players on a list like this halfway through the season. Perhaps someone not mentioned here or in the 24 will do that too.
That has happened before and will happen again. That's the beauty of football. You can thinkyou know this and that in June, but there are always determined sorts out of mind making other plans.
Mikai Gbayor
Gbayor was tied for 25th with Cameron Lenhardt among our three-person panel and the linebacker just might prove he should've been higher. It'll be interesting how the reps shake out here. There are some linebackers within the 24, for sure, like John Bullock. But there is that crew of Gbayor, Stefon Thompson and even true freshmen Vincent Shavers Jr. who the Huskers hope to have big impacts.
Bottom line with Gbayor is he moved the needle in a major way early last fall, going from no snaps his first two seasons to an important special teamer and key guy in the rotation on defense with 24 tackles, including three for losses.So don't discount that the needlecan move some more.
Cameron Lenhardt
We got all our 'he's an old soul' stories out of our system last year I hope. We also learned he can make stuff happen at this level. Lenhardt showed he belong even last spring, and was sacking Shedeur Sanders with one hand in early September. He had 16 tackles and five of those were for losses, with three sacks last year. That's as a true frosh and was accomplished in just 10 games as he played through an early-season injury. The only reason he's not higher perhaps is because D-line is one of the deepest rooms with some veterans still above him on this list. But Lenhardthas potential this season to show thathe's a top 10 guy in any of these lists in years ahead.
Rahmir Johnson
Everyone seems to be a fan of Rahmir, an example of someone who sticks with it no matter what. It's unclear exactly how the reps will work out at the running back spot, with Emmett Johnson and Gabe Ervin, and several young guys, all pushing to make a difference.
You've heard Rhule talk about his coaches studying Rahmir of 2021 – the guy who was a real problem for the likes of Michigan, Oklahoma and Michigan State. If Johnson carries that sort of role and keeps producing with the same efficiency he's had on his touches, he's certainly one of the more important Huskers. Even so, he's already that just by the way he attacks things over there.
Blye Hill
A week before spring ball ended, Blye Hill was at that moment in position to possibly be the starting corner opposite Tommi Hill. An unfortunate injury occurred in the Spring Game, and it will probably work into the season some. So the timing is tricky as far as a newcomer jumping right back in as the season is in full swing. But Blye already showed he can make stuff happen fast this winter and spring in Lincoln and even if his skills are called on later in the year, he definitely seems a player who can make a difference in 2024.
Riley Van Poppel
Last year included some lessons on the job. It also included an important part in a goal-line stop at Illinois, which was one of the bigger moments of the Husker building process last season. He's bulked up at least 10 pounds since then and it's worth reminding he did what he did last year after being a summer arrival. This was his first spring on the Husker roster. So what a guy with his potential do with that time to grow in all ways? He's part of the reason the D-line has to be consideredperhaps the deepest on the squad.
Janiran Bonner
Did you notice who was out there with the first-team receivers in the Spring Game? Yeah, that was Bonner as a big-bodied option on the perimeter along with Jahmal Banks and Isaiah Neyor. A hybrid fullback/tight end a year ago, Matt Rhule still believes Bonner can be that type of versatile backfield option at the next level. But what he can be in 2024 for NU could be important too. He caught the first TD pass from Dylan Raiola in the Red-White scrimmage. He also should be one of Nebraska's better blockers outside the hash marks to help some of those short passes hopefully go for explosive plays.
Malachi Coleman
Another one of Nebraska's better blockers on the perimeter, we got just a taste of what he could do last season. While he had to miss the spring as he recovered from a shoulder injury, there's good reason to be optimistic about what Coleman can get done in his second year of college ball. If guys like him and Jaylen Lloyd and Jacory Barney all make a big push, the receiver room will make that complete transformation from thin and learning in 2023 to deep and steadily building in 2024.
Speed is no question. The Huskers have some take-the-top-off-a-defense options and Coleman can be one of those who put it on tape.
Gabe Ervin
He's been the top running back on Nebraska's depth chart under two different coaching staffs to start seasons – 2021 and 2023 – and don't doubt he couldn't work his way back from last year's tough injury to that spot again. He's back at it this summer and Matt Rhule has always liked the physical style Ervin could bring to the running game, especially in those fourth quarters where you're trying to put up at least 75 rushing yards to finish off a team. He's on the 24 if not for the pondering of how coaches ultimately decide to stack the pieces at this position, andjust the fact he had to spend all of his winter and spring rehabbing his way back from a second tough injury.
Malcolm Hartzog
Which name on this list do I feel most guilty about not being on the 24 while writing this? It's probably this one. That's because Hartzog is someone who has started at safety and corner and been someone who has found the way on the field for a lot of snaps since his true freshman year. While he was working primarily at safety in the spring, the fact that he could play anything you needed and give you a veteran presence makes him of very high value. As I say, the more I think about it, the guiltier I feel because he fits a list like this in all ways.
Sua Lefotu
Sometimes in the spring you need to pay attention to those one liners slipped in by a coach here, and then another coach there. And if you did that well this spring you picked up that Lefotu was having a good spring. He might be a year away from cracking a list like this, but I want to mention him here because this could be a season where a guy comes from the fringe to show he's ready for some big snaps and can handle the grind of the Big Ten. Definitely a guy to watch.
Nate Boerkircher
He's been taking key snaps since 2021 now and while everyone will focus on Thomas Fidone – and even how it's coming for the newcomer Carter Nelson – Boerkircher seems poised for a solid year. He can get some stuff done in the receiving game too. Remember that fluid catch and run he had in the Spring Game off the pass from Heinrich Haarberg? One of the best plays of the day. He's going to move the chains for NU in a few big spots this year, or find the end zone in a critical moment. Put my bet down for that.
Luke Lindenmeyer
One of the "unsung heroes" from a September game last year, as Rhule said, and just one of those key cogs that the Huskers need to be good to find that next level. I call it the Matt Shaw factor, thinking back to a tight end from my Husker youth that did the dirty work but didn't necessarily show up in the stat sheet. That's not to say Lindenmeyer can't catch some too, but he's one of those valuable players to this team that can't be measured by statistics.
MJ Sherman
The former Georgia Bulldog was part of the rotation at the Jack spot last year. He's a veteran who ideally for the Huskers has his best football about to emerge here in 2024. He had 1 1/2 sacks last year so watch that number to see if he doesn't make it go up as the Huskers try to unlock that four-man pass rush more this fall.
Jacory Barney Jr.
Too soon for a true frosh to be even mentioned on here? Nah. We could definitely put Shavers on here too on the other side of the ball. But Barney showed off some big play prowess as both a receiver and returner in the Spring Game. What's more is some teammates said afterward that was nothing new. He'd been consistently showing that all spring.
The Miami native came out to help right away and one left the spring sensing he'll do just that.
Jeremiah Charles
Freak athlete, amazing dunker, stud triple jumper. One of the lead cornerbacks?
His fall camp progress will be one of the interesting storylines as Nebraska figures out what that two deep looks like heading into a the season and that game against Colorado where (mutter what you will about the Buffs) they'll have some skilled dudes on the outside young Husker corners will need to be ready to ball out against. Charles' athleticism just makes it feel like he's going to pop up as a key guy somewhere in this 2024.
Justin Evans
Last but not least. Definitely not least. Much like Hartzog, he's one of those guys who carries so much value because he can handle so many things. He could be a starting guard. He is Ben Scott's backup center probably. He's of major importance, probably much like Henry Lutovsky will be too. We'll still need the fall camp to figure out exactly how NU rotates the interior of that line but Evans is going to be critical and perhaps a starter.
He's the perfect example of how important a player can be who isn't going to be in all the offseason conversations or summer write-ups – but the kind of player who will have a big say between winning and losing when it counts.
