Matt Rhule shares what stands out about 2023 class

Nebraska has been known for its ability to land recruits who can make an impact in the trenches. But one thing Matt Rhule wanted was for the Cornhuskers to get faster as he built his first recruiting class.

He knew where to look, too.

“As you’re out there in the world and people say, ‘Oh, Nebraska, you find big strong guys. Can you find speed?’ Just [look] in state,” Rhule said on National Signing Day. “You’re not going to find anybody faster than Malachi [Coleman] and Jaylen [Lloyd]. The speed’s there. Bryce Turner’s as fast a kid as there is in the country. I like that part of it. But I like each player for who they are. I first got here, I think the previous staff did a good job with the big guys, the o-linemen.”

Coleman, a four-star wide receiver out of Lincoln, is the crown jewel of the class. He came in as the No. 60 recruit in the country and the top-ranked prospect in the state of Nebraska from the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. Lloyd came in as the No. 12 recruit in the state as the Cornhuskers brought in the nation’s No. 29-ranked class, according to the On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Rankings.

As for how he’s going to find that speed, Rhule said he’s going to follow the numbers. While he acknowledged the best track athletes don’t always make great football players, he said that can provide a base line for how a player could fit into the offense.

As a result, getting faster is going to be a goal going forward.

“I’m going to kind of be numbers based,” Rhule said. “I do know that track times and triple jumps and 40-yard dashes, that doesn’t mean you’re a great football player. But when I’m not sure, those things guide you. They’re a rock that you can kind of lean on. When I see a kid who’s a 47-foot triple jumper and likes football, I’m going to take chance on him if they have the right [mentality].

“I like some of those things that we were able to bring in. I had a lot of success over the years bringing guys in who are fast and finding the right position. For us to increase our team speed … is really important, and we brought in some size. O-linemen, you have to grow them. It takes a little time with them. They have to get in the weight room. But I like the group that we brought in.”