CB DeAndre Byrd

[Husker_Power]

Player: DeAndre Byrd

Hometown: Tallahassee, FL

Position: CB

Height: 5'10"

Weight: 170 lbs.

40 time: 4.5

Visit Date:

Scholarships offered: Nebraska, Arkansas, Michigan State, South Carolina, Wisconsin

Favorites: Nebraska

Rankings/Stars:

Rivals: :star

Big Red Report: :star

 

Assessing the talent: per BRR--Talented cornerback prospect who finished his junior season with 40 tackles, 9 pass breakups, four interceptions, and one defensive touchdown.

 

Odds of becoming a Cornhusker: 100% N

[husker rob]

story up on scout that says he is severly underated. also said that he held over 20 offers.

 

reading the article about him, he sound like a lockdown type player

[huskernumerouno]

Here are some tid bits from an email I just received.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I just got off the phone with Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini and I let him know I was ready to commit. My relationship with the Nebraska coaching staff and Coach Pelini was the difference. He reminded me a lot of the coaches here at Lincoln in what he expects from his players, but most of all he made me feel at home," explained Byrd.

 

Although Byrd hasn't visited Lincoln yet, he had the opportunity to meet with head coach Bo Pelini - ironically when coach Pelini was a defensive coordinator at LSU last season.

 

"I was actually on a recruiting trip with T.J. Bryant and I got a chance to meet him then. Coach Pelini really gets after it and doesn't just talk about what he expects, but is very active with his players in showing them how to do things right. T.J. let me know a lot about Coach Pelini from the start and we both just really connected from there. Nebraska mentioned how they were looking to hit the state of Florida harder and Coach Pelini likes how fast I can close on the ball and my cover skills. I'm just so excited right now to be heading over to Nebraska."

 

As a junior Byrd made life very difficult for the opposition nabbing four interceptions, nine pass break ups and finished with over 40 tackles. Most teams avoided throwing at former Lincoln defensive back T.J. Bryant and Byrd looked at the opportunities as a chance to step up. Lincoln assistant coach Tony Collins says the aggressiveness and cover skills for Byrd always standout.

 

 

Byrd is excited about the decision. The biggest attraction for the talented cornerback from Tallahassee could very well be the fans and the atmosphere in Nebraska.

 

"Oh man, that's going to be awesome seeing all that red out there. When I heard they had around 80,000 fans for a spring game, that absolutely blew me away, so I know when I get there it's going to be really wild. Right now I'm just working on some other guys to join me at Nebraska and I'm going to start by talking with our safety Jawanza Starling and just go down the list from there."

[Ohio Pete]

Beat me to it:

Here's from OWH:

11:55 p.m. : Late news of a Nebraska commitment Tuesday night. According to the Tallahassee (Fla.) Democrat, cornerback DeAndre Byrd picked the Huskers over a host of schools, including Colorado.

 

Byrd is from Lincoln High in Tallahassee, the same school that produced former Husker lineman Danny Muy. The 2004 signee left NU after one season.

 

We'll have more Wednesday on the 10th player to commit to Nebraska. High school and junior college players can't sign letters of intent until February.

[Ohio Pete]

And from the source:

 

Lincoln High's Byrd commits to Nebraska

DeAndre Byrd became the first of what is expected to be a host of Lincoln High football players to announce his college decision when he opted for Nebraska.

 

Byrd, one of the top defensive backs in the area as a junior, selected the Cornhuskers over Illinois, Arkansas, Colorado, Auburn, Middle Tennessee State and Kansas State. His decision becomes binding in February on National Signing Day.

 

"Nebraska is a great atmosphere," Byrd said. "The fans are great. The coaches treat me like my coaches at Lincoln."

 

Byrd first met Nebraska coach Bo Pelini a year ago, when Pelini was the defensive coordinator at LSU and Byrd took an unofficial visit to the Baton Rouge campus.

 

"He's a great defensive coordinator and a great coach," Byrd said. "He reminds me of Coach Rice at Lincoln."

 

Byrd said he had already made up his mind earlier in the summer about where he wanted to play. So on Tuesday evening, he contacted Lincoln assistant coach Tony Collins who helped him call each of the coaches recruiting him so he could tell them of his decision.

 

"It wasn't that hard to call them," Byrd said, "because I know where I want to go."

 

Byrd said he will try to take an unofficial visit to Nebraska this fall and will follow with an official visit following his senior season.

[DeathCultArmaggedon]

Right now I'm just working on some other guys to join me at Nebraska and I'm going to start by talking with our safety Jawanza Starling and just go down the list from there."

Wow, this guy sounds like a God-send. Already starting to recruit for us? Amazing.

[Back In Black]

thank you thank you thank you...can i say more?

[DeathCultArmaggedon]

Mods, can we merge this thread with the one in the 2009 recruiting forum?

 

Thanks

[Back In Black]

great pick up,

 

F*cker came outa no where - 40 year old virgin

[HSKRNOKC]

Right now I'm just working on some other guys to join me at Nebraska and I'm going to start by talking with our safety Jawanza Starling and just go down the list from there."

Wow, this guy sounds like a God-send. Already starting to recruit for us? Amazing.

 

 

Starting with his own school.

 

This is a very solid pick up. I hope that all the recruits that were taking the wait and see attitude with us are noticing this class is starting to round out nicely.

[Ohio Pete]

Comments from ESPN:

 

Huskers gain defensive back from Florida

 

Cornerback DeAndre Byrd of Lincoln (Tallahassee, Fla.) has become the 10th commitment for Nebraska.

The Huskers edged Colorado, South Carolina, Arkansas, Michigan State and Wisconsin for the defensive back.

 

He told the Tallahassee Democrat, "It's wasn't that hard to call them because I know where I want to go," adding that his mind was made up much earlier in the summer."

 

ESPN's Billy Tucker elaborated on the news, "With the addition of Byrd, Bo Pelini and the Nebraska football program have to be pretty pleased with their recent emergence on the recruiting trail heading into pre-season camp. Byrd is the Cornhuskers 10th commitment for 2009 and recently earned the No. 16 spot for cornerbacks in our first release of the ESPNU 150."

"In terms of upside, we feel this potential shutdown corner in Lincoln is one of the better defensive backs in this class and there is not a better coach to polish up his fundamentals at the position than Pelini."

"Byrd looks to have a ton of physical development still left on his lean, rangy body. We like how his hips and turns remain smooth and he is natural in all of his movement skills, despite his taller, high-cut frame. Very versatile kid in terms of coverages. He shows great transitional and breaking quickness blanketing the perimeter in underneath zone schemes but is equally impressive defending the jump ball with his great body adjustment, leaping and ball skills. He has the foot-quickness and hip-fluidity to mirror receivers tightly in off-man situations as well and should develop into a good press-corner once he fills out it his slighter frame."

"Byrd is a savvy corner with good toughness and all the physical tools to become a good one at Nebraska. Landing him out of a strong program in Florida is equally impressive for the Cornhusker program."

FYI they have him at 16th CB and a 79

[Ohio Pete]

The teaser from Rivals makes an interesting point that in 2003 Bo and Nebraska were in on 3 recruits from Tallahassee Lincoln and got one in Danny Muy (who left later after Bo left). Might be re-opening a Florida connection here.

[Back In Black]

oooo tommy?

[zoogs]

Starting with a 4-star safety from his own school. Nice, nice, nice!

[huskerguy]

Who was that, huskerguy?

 

(edit) Supposedly this was all Bo. And he made up his mind without even holding an offer.

 

I was referring to Fabian "Florida Boy" Washington... ha I still remember him calling himself that, but seriously Bo made him a stud in '03.

 

I would think he is our last corner from Florida, hell how many players have we even had from Florida in the last couple of years? I remember LaTravis Washington and Harrison Beck... it's definatly apprant that Bo wants some of that Florida speed here.