Nebraska’s early enrollees are arriving. Here’s why they chose to leave high school early
The early arrivals have found their way to Lincoln.
The Nebraska football team will begin its preparation for the spring on Monday — a week before the spring semester officially starts on Jan. 22. Weeks of winter conditioning and competition will soon follow, and there are plenty of fresh-faced Huskers eager to go through that process for the first time.
Of the 29 players Nebraska signed in its 2024 recruiting class, over half — 16 — are expected to take part in spring practice as early enrollees.
The list: Jacory Barney, Grant Brix, Mario Buford, Ian Flynt, Roger Gradney, Rex Guthrie, Dae’vonn Hall, Willis McGahee IV, Daniel Kaelin, Ashton Murphy, Gibson Pyle, Dylan Raiola, Vincent Shavers, Keelan Smith, Larry Tarver and Evan Taylor.
As the very first commit in NU’s 2024 recruiting class, Gradney was always leaning toward graduating high school early and going through spring ball. And after a conversation with defensive backs coach Evan Cooper during his recruiting process, Gradney knew that was the right move.
“What really made me want to come is that (Cooper) said, ‘Most freshmen who come here early and work hard end up starting,’” Gradney said. “I was like, ‘That’s going to be me. I want to do that.’”
The large amount of early enrollees in this recruiting class is a direct reflection of the benefits provided by going through the spring. NU coaches repeatedly stress to young players the importance of diving into the program’s strength and nutrition programs, where effort in the spring equals improved performance in the fall.
Arriving in the spring also means more time under the care of Nebraska’s Athletic Medicine staff. For Rex Guthrie, a defensive back who continues to recover from a dislocated ankle and broken bone, that played a major factor in his decision to enroll early.
“I’m really excited to get into the strength program and start getting all that development,” Guthrie said. “Staying for another semester of high school wouldn’t have made sense, because now I get to be with the team and use all those brand-new facilities; it’s going to be really nice.”
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