A look at the Midwestern recruits slated for Nebraska’s junior day

The 6-foot-4, 290-pounder is the top 2024 prospect in the state of North Dakota — perhaps the only Power Five prospect in his state this cycle — and wanted to get a closer look at favorites Kansas, Kansas State and Nebraska.

Jayhawks, followed by Wildcats, then Huskers.

“It’s a big week for me to see where everyone sits, because I’m trying to narrow it down so I don’t have so much pressure leading up to my commitment,” said Sunram, a high three-star line prospect according to 247Sports and On3. “I’m just looking to see what kind of relationships we have and how the coaches react with their players in practice and meetings — how, if I go there, I would be treated.”

He comes from Kindred, North Dakota — population 889 — and could play either side of the line. He, like Ainsworth’s Carter Nelson, has had college coaches turn heads in his school this winter.

“It’s just been fun being a North Dakota kid — there’s not a lot going on in North Dakota — and getting this attention from big colleges that I’ve always grow up watching,” Sunram said.

The same is true of Logan-Magnolia (Iowa) lineman Grant Brix, who had Nebraska coach Matt Rhule take in a wrestling dual. Ditto for Thomas Heiberger, a high three-star linebacker out of Sioux Falls (South Dakota) Jefferson High School. And Gatlin Bair, the rare Top 100 prospect from Idaho. Out in Junction City, Kansas — just south of Fort Riley — it’s linebacker Michael Boganowski drawing attention.

All of those Midwestern and mountain state prospects are projected to see Nebraska this weekend for a massive Junior Day event. While most of the media spotlight has focused on five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola, Rhule and company chose to make March 25 a tent pole weekend for NU’s coast-to-coast approach.

Though unofficial visit lists tend to be fluid, two more five-stars from Missouri — Ryan Wingo and Williams Nwaneri — are slated to be in Lincoln. So are three prospects from an academy in Connecticut. And prospects from Texas. And Brandon Baker, a key, five-star line target from California. And, of course, Raiola, who now plays high school football in Phoenix.

In the midst of all that, there will be an emphasis on the 500-mile radius that includes Westside defensive back Caleb Benning, Carter and potentially both Bellevue West blue chip receivers, although Isaiah McMorris was still deciding between Nebraska and a 7-on-7 tournament in Chicago.

Heiberger, a rising prospect who’s just filling in his 6-4 frame, would continue a trend of Nebraska landing players from South Dakota. In the last decade, NU signed Nathan Gerry, two Farniok brothers, Nash Hutmacher, Randolph Kpai and Jason Maciejczak from the state. Heiberger may be as coveted as any of them after 44 tackles and six sacks for Jefferson in 2022. In the last two months, he’s received 12 offers, including from NU, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Pac-12 champion Utah.

He hadn’t heard from the Huskers until Rhule took over.

“It’s exciting to see what Rhule and the staff can do and the changes they can make,” Heiberger said. “Nebraska’s one of the closest schools to home, which is a bonus to me.”

For the 6-foot-6, 270-pound Brix — Iowa’s highest-rated 2024 prospect — Nebraska is closer than any other school, including Iowa State. Logan is right up Hwy 30 from Missouri Valley, and Brix already has a strong relationship with NU offensive line coach Donovan Raiola from last season, when he camped and later attended the Indiana game at Memorial Stadium.

“We’ve been in weekly contact for quite awhile, so I’ve got a good impression of him,” Brix said of Raiola. Brix feels the same for Rhule, who caused a stir when he attended one of Brix’s wrestling matches. If Rhule wants a road-grader, Brix fits the bill.

“We pass maybe five times a game,” said Brix, who has offers from the home-state Hawkeyes and Cyclones, plus Penn State, Notre Dame, Oregon and many more. “It’s small-town Iowa football, the run game. It’s 34 Gut, 23 Belly, stuff like that.”

Other likely Midwestern/Mountain state visitors:

» Benning, 6-foot, 185 pounds, returned from an injury to help the Warriors win the Class A state title last November. The son of former Husker Damon Benning, Caleb has six interceptions over the last 14 games and 492 punt return yards over that span.

» Boganowski, a rangy playmaker, just completed a visit to Michigan, where, according to On3, he had an extensive chat with former Husker/current Wolverine linebacker Ernest Hausmann. The 6-2, 195-pounder had 123 tackles and four interceptions as a junior safety; he may be fast enough to fit as a NU 3-3-5 rover.

» Rockhurst (Kansas City, Missouri) offensive tackle Andrew Sprague has, according to On3, a stacked visit list, including Notre Dame and USC. A consensus four-star prospect, Sprague will have his pick of Big Ten and SEC schools. NU last landed a Rockhurst player in 2013 with Zach Hannon.

» Fort Collins (Colorado) Fossil Ridge tackle Gage Ginther is another large-bodied Coloradoan that attracts nationwide interest as a lineman. NU, UCLA, OU and Deion Sanders’ Colorado are among his offers.

» Salt Lake City West lineman Semisi Tonga announced on Twitter he’s visits Nebraska this weekend, followed by Miami and Oklahoma State. The 6-foot-4, 310-pounder is part of a growing talent pool in Utah, which added 500,000 residents between 2010 and 2020 and is projected to add another 600,000 residents by 2030.