Three & Out: Gibson Pyle, surprises in the 2024 class, and Nebraska looking at another recruit in Texas
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, Gibson Pyle could play a bigger role for Nebraska, several surprises in the 2024 recruiting class, and a new offensive weapon on the recruiting radar. Here is your Three & Out:
Gibson Pyle could play a bigger role for Nebraska
This is such a fantastic story. Gibson Pyle grew up watching the All-American Bowl and has wanted to play in the game for as long as he can remember. The 6-foot-4.5 and 275-pound Pyle from Klein (Texas) Cain was looking for a way to be considered to play in the All-American Bowl.
The path was suggested that he take a look at the Football University Top Gun camp, perform well, and maybe he could earn an invitation to play in the game.
Pyle made good of the opportunity and performed well enough to pick up an invitation. Only five were invited out of the 500 to 600 2024 recruits in attendance. And while the invite was the apparent outcome, there is something else to consider here.
The 2024 recruiting class for Nebraska has three interior offensive linemen, with Pyle joining Landen Davidson from Broomfield (Colo.) and Jake Peters from Cedar Falls (Iowa). There is an obvious hole in the current class for an offensive tackle.
Nebraska is the odds-on favorite to pick up Preston Taumua from Waipahu (Hawaii) on July 16th. Taumua’s film shows he can move between the offensive tackle and guard positions.
Pyle, on the other hand, is a projection to the guard or interior offensive line positions. Pyle has only played offensive tackle; this fall, he is likely moving inside to his projected position in college.
Last weekend may have demonstrated that Nebraska already has an offensive tackle in the class. Pyle performed amazingly well against bigger or faster defensive linemen, indicating he already has good feet, quickness, strength, and toughness.
It may not be something that Nebraska depends on, but it may be something they plan to look at, which would be warranted. Nebraska has time and is trending for Taumua and Grant Brix. It wouldn’t hurt to have another player that can swing out to tackle in the class like Pyle could.
Several surprises in the 2024 recruiting class
It’s hard to look past many surprising storylines in the 2024 class already. Several jump out immediately as you go down the commitment list and look at the high schools, states, and positions. Here are some quick thoughts about the surprises to me in the 2024 class:
Three Thunderbirds in the class – When I met Daniel Kaelin, Dae’Vonn Hall, and Isaiah McMorris at the In-State Tour in February, I thought Nebraska might get one of the trio. The Huskers were hot in pursuit of Dylan Raiola, and there were several other wide receivers that Nebraska seemed to be in a better position with, and then things changed. Nebraska re-entered the picture as they told Kaelin they would, and the Nebraska staff stepped up their efforts with Hall and McMorris. The result? Immediate chemistry in the class, and Kaelin is showing the staff a thing or two about recruiting.The south Florida presence in the class – It’s hard to look past the pair of Miami commitments in the class. Willis McGahee IV, a Miami legacy, and Jacory Barney, who officially visited Miami, but still chose the Huskers, which rattled some south beach nerves. Philip Simpson has Nebraska hot on the trail of one of the best receivers in Florida next year too. Cortez Mills from Homestead (Fla.) played for Simpson last season and regularly talks to the Nebraska coach. I wouldn’t consider it a coincidence that the only two offers extended in July that have been made public are to Miami area recruits.Class size blows past 20 commitments – The transfer portal, and all of the things that come with it when it comes to a coach being able to manage the scholarship roster, is a game changer. This year’s class might touch 20, judging by the number of players who would be out of eligibility. The class currently sits at 23 commitments, and there are several recruits that Nebraska seems to be interested in taking that could push the class past 25.Effectiveness in Houston and Texas in general – Everyone knew that Matt Rhule and his staff wanted to be effective in Texas. They did it last year, grabbing players like Princewill Umanmielen and Ismael Smith Flores. If Nebraska has Simpson in Miami, then Nebraska has multiple coaches and other staff members that understand Texas. Nebraska has seven commitments from the Lone Star State and is still pursuing at least one other skill position player for the 2024 class (that we will talk about in the next section).Making final lists for Baker and Frazier – It’s a minor feat that Nebraska is still “in it” for both Brandon Baker and Nate Frazier. The Huskers hosted Frazier for their massive junior day in late March and have hosted Baker multiple times, including that same weekend and the spring game. Rhule and his staff did a great job getting some of the nation’s top talent to come and take a look. Get some wins and demonstrate the offense and defense, then make a run at similarly ranked recruits in the coming years.
Those are just a few things standing out to me right now as I look at the class. I will enjoy watching Nebraska put the finishing touches on the class and see which directions they go with some recruits.
A new slot receiver is on the radar
As if there wasn’t enough offensive firepower in the 2024 class, Nebraska is reaching out to another weapon. Derrick McFall from Tyler (Texas) has been hearing from Nebraska for a while now. There isn’t an offer yet, but it could be going that way.
“I have been talking to Nebraska for a while now,” McFall said. “I have really been just trying to get the offer from them. I don’t have one yet.
“We just talked about the offer and me two days ago. I sent them everything that they requested for them to consider looking at me for an offer, and then I could possibly look at making Nebraska my home.”
Things could be moving fast between Nebraska and McFall. McFall is eyeing a visit to Nebraska during the last week in July.
“The Nebraska staff told me that there is a week at the end of the month that I could visit. I need to see what I can do for that.”
The Huskers can see McFall as a slot, but they were only able to see him after one of their current 2024 commitments let them know about McFall. Nebraska’s quarterback commitment met McFall playing 7v7 earlier this summer.
“Nebraska sees me as a slot receiver,” McFall said. “That is what I am working on. Coach Garret McGuire is the coach that is recruiting me from Nebraska.
“Things are going good with my relationship with the Nebraska staff. I also know Daniel Kaelin. We played 7v7 together. We were in California for the jamboree and bonded after that.”
Kaelin has passed along his recommendation of McFall to Nebraska. The two had chemistry on the field together, and McFall says that the two bonded during that tournament.
“He has been telling me that it would be great to play with me in college,” McFall said. “Me and Daniel have a great bond, and we play well together on the field.”
McFall took one official visit during the month of June. He says that besides Nebraska, he is still considering at least three other programs and may be working to set up other visits in July to see some of them.
“I went to Louisville for an official visit,” McFall said. “I am considering Nebraska, of course, Notre Dame, Colorado, and Washington.”
It’s evident from McFall’s film that he has speed. He didn’t run track competitively last year, but he did practice with the team.
“I rant tack my sophomore year. I didn’t run this past year. My events a year ago were 100, 4×100, and 4×200. This past year I just made a decision to work more on the field for football. I was going to track practice, but I wasn’t competing.”
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