Three & Out: Christian Jones is the next one, big recruiting weekend coming, and sizing for the 2024 recruiting class

Three & Out is Nebraska On3’s feature in which recruiting analyst Bryan Munson gives his weekly takes on topical issues concerning Nebraska football and recruiting.

In this week’s Three & Out, we discuss linebacker Christian Jones being the next, great recruit from the state of Nebraska, the visitor list is shaping up to be a good one for this weekend against Michigan, and how many commitments might end up in the 2024 class? Here is your Three & Out:

Christian Jones is the next one

Nebraska fans have had to buckle up the last couple of years with the top player in Nebraska. In 2023, Malachi Coleman had some of the best football programs in the country pursuing him, and that door closed and then re-opened when Matt Rhule was hired, and Coleman visited Colorado before signing with Nebraska.

After an amazing conversation with @ZemaitisTouch_, I’m blessed to receive an offer from @PennStateFball pic.twitter.com/n1jROEpQP4

— Christian Jones (@CJones428) September 26, 2023

This year, Carter Nelson had offers from all over the country, including Notre Dame, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, USC, Oregon, Penn State, etc. Nebraska fans had just gone through the rollercoaster ride with Coleman and hadn’t caught their breath when Alabama offered Nelson opening the floodgates for him.

Get ready because round three is here.

Christian Jones will be the latest challenge for Nebraska to keep the top player home. The 2024 product continues to pull massive offers like the Penn State offer he picked up this week. This past weekend, Jones was in South Bend for the Notre Dame/Ohio State game with Teddy Rezac and Anthony Rezac.

Jones was in Notre Dame last weekend and could not attend the NIU game in Lincoln because of homecoming. Something a little painful to remember is that Jones was in Lincoln for the end of the summer BBQ, but that was only because his plans to visit Tennessee fell through.

In talking to Jones, I know there is a desire to get out and see some of these schools, but right now, the cost falls back to the recruit, and time is always an issue. Westside is having a fantastic season due mainly to how Jones is leading the defense, and he doesn’t want a lot of unnecessary distractions, either.

I anticipate Nebraska hosting Jones several times over the next three months, starting with the Michigan game this weekend. He says there are no planned school visits after this weekend, but that changes daily.’ I am sure it does.

Michigan game weekend will be big recruiting weekend

Over the first two home games, Nebraska has brought in nearly 130 visitors. There have been a couple of official visitors, and obviously, there is a baked-in number of recruits committed to the 2024 and 2025 classes. However, some new offers have been extended, as well as a PWO offer.

This weekend will be different. Nebraska has some playmakers that have been previously confirmed as visiting this weekend. Nebraska is going to be looking for difference making wide receivers and the Huskers will have several of those visiting. Nebraska is also looking to get better in the trenches on both sides of the ball. There is some of that too.

2025 Confirmed Visitors

2026 Confirmed Visitors

Nebraska will also a few commitments this weekend for the first time this season including an official visitor:

2024 Official Visitor

2024 Commits in Lincoln for first time this season

How much larger can the 2024 class get?

This is the million-dollar question. The class is currently at 25 commitments, which many people, including myself, could never have seen, and there are still needs in the class. On top of the needs, there are multiple names for each, and some players fall outside of the needs that Nebraska would be interested in taking.

The rule here is that it comes down to Rhule.

Nebraska’s class is “full” from a numbers perspective. However, Nebraska can still choose to take additional recruits in the class. There may be fears that a player doesn’t end up in the class or may not qualify or that Nebraska will have to manage the current roster to get to 85 scholarships later.

But these are judgment calls that the staff will have to make. Moreover, there will be some calls where the coach can say he is taking a guy and be done with it.

To steal the line from Sip, what I know and what I think I know, this class will be knocking on the 30 commits total in February. The known needs of tackle and pass rushers could push the number by two to four commits alone. There are also those one-offs that aren’t necessarily needed but are a take. I can see one or two of those two.

The numbers today aren’t what they used to be. It used to be a bit of a science with how many are graduating, which players have left or quit, which scholarships counted backward or forward, etc. You could generally get within a player or two of the final today.

Today, you may not be within 20% of the total. The good news is that Nebraska is now playing the game like the big boys. There is no dead weight being carried around on the 85 scholarship roster. Players are and will increasingly be expected to be productive earlier at Nebraska, but still as part of the development plan.

It’s a fascinating process, but accuracy on class size isn’t something anyone should offer and guarantee great accuracy until October. The rules have changed, and Rhule is taking advantage.

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