Identifying skill players to watch for Nebraska in 2024

A lot of the excitement surrounding the Nebraska offense comes from quarterback Dylan Railoa. The true freshman impressed during the spring game and has a path the be the Huskers’ starter in the season opener against UTEP on Aug. 31.

Players around Railoa will arguably be more important, with Nebraska having some nice skill-position players on the roster. The running back room, in particular, is deep — having three guys with a lot of experience. Injuries were the story in 2023 but back to full health provides offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield with a ton of options.

“The running back position is a wild card,” Sean Callahan of On3’s Husker Online said via Tuesday’s episode of Andy Staples On3. “They have three guys on this roster that have started games. Gabe Ervin Jr. has won the starting job now twice in 2021 for Scott Frost and 2023 for Matt Rhule. He’s been injured twice now with a knee and a hip. He’ll be back in the mix.

“You have Rahmir Johnson, who in 2021 made plays all over the field when Nebraska nearly beat Michigan in Lincoln. He’s been an accomplished player and they love him… in his sixth year.

“And then Emmett Johnson, who stepped in when those two backs got hurt last year. He kind of came on and he’s the most logical ball carrier that’s going to be in that mix.”

Nebraska was the second-best team in the Big Ten when it came to rushing yards per game at 176.8, only sitting behind Penn State. Even so, quarterback Heinrich Haarberg was the team’s leading rusher with 477 yards. Irving and Rahmir Johnson going down with injuries did not help the cause either.

There is some excitement regarding Oregon transfer Dante Dowdell too after a good spring game, rounding out the running back group.

“The reports were mixed on him,” Callahan said. “But he had a really good spring game. Had the longest run of the game, the only run of the game that was over 20 yards.”

Exciting prospects available for Nebraska at wide receiver

To address wide receiver this offseason, Rhule decided to hit the NCAA transfer portal. He wound up landing Wake Forest‘s Jahmal Banks and Isaiah Neyor out of Texas. Callahan believes “those two guys are set” and ready to play a big role for Nebraska this fall.

Somebody who could make a lot of splash played for the Huskers though is Jaylen Lloyd. Not being recruited too much out of high school, Lloyd was the third-leading receiver in 2023 with 237 yards despite only having six catches. Three of those were for touchdowns and over 50 yards.

“I really like what he’s done,” Callahan said on Lloyd. “He placed at the Big Ten Indoor Meet in both the triple and long jump. He’s 50-foot triple jumper and 25-foot long jumper. Extremely explosive. He’s run a 10.4 in the 100 in high school.

“That’s the speedster and that’s a classic Matt Rhule recruit right there. Nobody was offering Jaylen Lloyd a scholarship out of high school. Matt Rhule was the only person that offered him a scholarship.”

Having a potential true freshman starting quarterback in never easy, no matter how highly thought of they were coming out of high school. Skill position players will have to elevate Raiola once he takes the field. Luckily, a pretty good group is set to be out there.