Nebraska is a darkhorse contender for David Sanders
Friedman: FACT. I don’t know if I’d call the Huskers “the” darkhorse, but they’re definitely a darkhorse. David Sanders Jr. took an official visit to Nebraska on Mother’s Day weekend, which was a massive surprise at the time. Dylan Raiola has worked very hard to recruit Sanders and he understands what each of the other main contenders for the five-star offensive tackle bring to the table.
Raiola was the top-ranked quarterback in last year‘s class and was committed to Georgia for the majority of the recruiting process but flipped at the 11th hour. Sanders is keeping all of his options open right now, but Ohio State and Tennessee do seem to be leading the pack at the moment. Nebraska has work to do to move up the list before his commitment. But, as we saw last year with Raiola, it’s hard to count Nebraska out until Sanders signs his name on the dotted line.
Smith: FACT. Nebraska is a program currently lurking in the shadows for a lot of top prospects. That’s how I’d describe the pursuit of Sanders at the moment, which would make it a darkhorse contender here.
There are a couple things working in Nebraska’s favor right now that have the Huskers in this race. First, the impact of former five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola. The quarterback has worked hard to keep Sanders’ attention after that official visit and it can be powerful that a high-profile recruit wants you to join him.
Secondly, Nebraska can be competitive when it comes to amenities and NIL. The program just opened a new $150 million facility and its NIL collective is aligned to help make the Huskers the best they can be. Nebraska isn't leading the race right now but the program shouldn’t just be dismissed either.