Nebraska gets spring ball rolling on Feb. 28. Between now and then, the Journal Star is compiling lists of players who are in particular points of their careers. We already covered five players who enter spring at a crossroads and as the week goes along we’ll also get to leadership candidates, potential breakout players and players who will be in wait-and-see mode this spring.
Today, a look at five newcomers this semester who will have an impact this spring.
CB Tommi Hill
It’s no surprise there are a lot of candidates considering the Huskers have 16 new scholarship players on campus for spring ball. Every single player on this list has another teammate at his position that could have cracked the top five, too.
Hill gets the nod among cornerbacks because of his combination of production — he played 59 defensive snaps and 99 special teams snaps in 11 games as a true freshman at Arizona State, according to Pro Football Focus — and potential. Hill is listed at 6-feet tall but he’s got the type of length and range that secondary coach Travis Fisher covets.
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Along with junior transfer Omar Brown (whose spring status is to be determined as he missed the end of Northern Iowa’s season with an injury), Marques Buford and Braxton Clark, the race for a starting cornerback job opposite Quinton Newsome is going to be fierce.
WR receiver Trey Palmer
Either Palmer or New Mexico State transfer Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda could easily have made the list, but Palmer gets the nod because he’s the favorite to slide into Samori Toure’s place in the slot, and figures to be a featured member of the Husker offense, regardless of how much change is introduced by new coordinator Mark Whipple.
Palmer has upper-end speed, caught 30 passes last year at LSU and understands exactly what Mickey Joseph wants from his receivers since he played for him the past three seasons. He is also a dangerous return man on special teams.
Both Palmer and Garcia-Castaneda should immediately push to join Omar Manning, Zavier Betts, Oliver Martin and perhaps Alante Brown in Nebraska’s receiving rotation.
S DeShon Singleton
Singleton has just one year of junior college ball under his belt, but is a big, rangy player at 6-3 and 200 pounds. He’s going to compete with Noa Pola-Gates and perhaps others for a starting safety job this spring and will get a ton of snaps, given NU’s general lack of depth at safety.
Singleton, a Louisiana native, bet on himself and chose the Jayhawk League over FCS or Group of Five offers because he thought he could convince Power Five schools of his readiness. He did just that. Now, is he ready to win a starting job right away? He’ll make that case this spring.
QB Casey Thompson
You didn’t think we’d make it through the list without a quarterback, did you? The Texas transfer is the most experienced of the three new quarterbacks in Lincoln for spring ball. He’ll be considered the favorite to win the job, and with good reason after he led the Big 12 with 24 touchdown passes over 10 games for the Longhorns.
There are other priorities to get straightened out during spring ball — who makes a charge at running back, what do the offensive and defensive lines look like, how does the secondary shake out, installing the new stuff on offense — but what Thompson and the other quarterbacks are capable of will have as big an impact as anything.
OL Kevin Williams Jr.
The final spot on this list also could have gone to fellow offensive line transfer Hunter Anthony or to junior college running back transfer Anthony Grant, but let’s go with Williams.
The former Omaha North grad was the first transfer to join NU this offseason. He played in only two games last year for FCS Northern Colorado, but was the starting left tackle there.
He’s got the versatility to play either guard or tackle for NU and, though neither he nor Anthony is guaranteed a starting spot as new assistant coach Donovan Raiola works through all of his options, Williams is going to have a chance.
Could he compete with redshirt freshman Henry Lutovsky for the right guard job? Maybe he’ll be the No. 1 left tackle this spring with Teddy Prochazka and Turner Corcoran both injured and then a candidate for either that job or the left guard spot, with Lutovksy and Nouredin Nouili competing for right guard and Anthony and Bryce Benhart if Corcoran gets healthy and makes a run at the center job.
Keeping up with the transfer portal. Here’s who the Huskers have coming to Lincoln
Casey Thompson, QB
Previous school: Texas
Remaining eligibility: Two years
Of note: Thompson is the most notable transfer Nebraska has added so far because of the position he plays. He started 10 games for the Longhorns last year and led the Big 12 in touchdown passes with 24. He’ll be considered the favorite to win NU’s starting quarterback job under new offensive coordinator Mark Whipple. He’ll be on campus for this semester.
Chubba Purdy, QB
Previous school: Florida State
Remaining eligibility: Four years
Of note:
Purdy started one game in 2020 and appeared in three overall, completing 27-of-53 passes for 219 yards, a pair of touchdowns and an interception. He appeared just once in 2021 — Purdy completed all five of his passes for 98 yards and two scores.
Trey Palmer, WR/Returner
Previous school: LSU
Remaining eligibility: Two years plus a redshirt
Of note: Palmer was a blue-chip recruit out of high school and saw his role steadily grow over his three years in Baton Rouge. Now, he’ll rejoin Mickey Joseph in Lincoln. Palmer can really run — he was timed at 10.42 in the 100 meters and 21.11 seconds in the 200 — and he’s also a dangerous return man. He profiles well in the spot vacated by Samori Toure and will be on campus this semester.
Hunter Anthony, OL
Previous school: Oklahoma State
Remaining eligibility: Two years
Of note: The Oklahoma native entered 2020 as OSU’s starting right tackle, but an injury cost him most of the season. Then he served as a backup this fall. In Lincoln, the 6-foot-6, 330-pounder will be a candidate both at right tackle and at either guard spot. He’s on campus this semester.
Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda, WR
Previous school: New Mexico State
Remaining eligibility: Two years plus a redshirt
Of note: Garcia-Castaneda had a productive season at NMSU, catching 37 passes for 578 yards and four touchdowns. He was coveted as soon as he hit the transfer portal, but NU visited him in California and got him on campus for a visit in December. At 6-foot and 190 pounds, Garcia-Castaneda is a candidate for any spot in the Husker receiver rotation under Mickey Joseph.
Clark Grell
Brian Buschini, P
Previous school: Montana
Remaining eligibility: Three years
Of note: Buschini was named the FCS punter of the year after averaging better than 47 yards per punt and more than 44 net yards per attempt. He was considered perhaps the best punter available on the transfer market this winter and will be counted on right away in Lincoln. He’s on campus this semester.
Timmy Bleekrode, K
Previous school: Furman
Remaining eligibility: Three years
Of note: Bleekrode immediately becomes the favorite to handle place-kicking duties after he was recruited from Furman by new special teams coordinator Bill Busch. The Atlanta native made 15-of-18 field goals in 2021 with a long of 51 yards and is 21-of-25 over the past two seasons.
Kevin Williams, OL
Previous school: Northern Colorado
Remaining eligibility: Two years
Of note: Williams, an Omaha North graduate, is a multi-year starter at the FCS level and began the 2021 season as the Bears’ starting left tackle. He’s got positional versatility and could be a candidate at tackle or guard for the Huskers in 2022. In a young room overall, he adds a veteran presence.
Tommy Hill, DB
Previous school: Arizona State
Remaining eligibility: Three years plus a redshirt
Of note: Nebraska loved Hill out of high school in Orlando in the 2021 class, but he ended up at ASU and earned playing time right away. The Huskers jumped on him as soon as he entered the portal, and now he’ll compete for playing time in a secondary that must replace three starters. He’s on campus this semester.
Contact the writer at pgabriel@journalstar.com or 402-473-7439. On Twitter @HuskerExtraPG.
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