Lincoln High’s DeFrand eyes Nebraska offer; Huskers set for busy March

A cornerback at Nebraska from 2003-06, Donald DeFrand was an accomplished high school sprinter in Florida before joining the Huskers. His daughter, Dajaz DeFrand, is already making her mark as a freshman sprinter at Florida State.

Donald DeFrand Jr., a 2024 cornerback recruit from Lincoln High, also appears poised for a future as a Division I athlete. A three-star recruit via 247Sports, DeFrand has one FBS scholarship offer at the moment — but others may be on the horizon.

Colorado was the first school to offer DeFrand in June 2022, and he’s maintained a relationship with the program even after a brand-new staff took over this offseason. FCS program Northern Iowa, which has former Nebraska quarterback Joe Ganz on staff, offered DeFrand earlier this month.

But, there is one specific opportunity that would mean a lot for DeFrand to receive — an offer from his hometown Huskers. Head coach Matt Rhule has swung by Lincoln High already, and DeFrand’s been in contact with NU’s recruiting staff.

“I really do want a Nebraska offer and to build that relationship more,” DeFrand said. “I’m hoping I can get out to a camp and really prove myself to them.”

Plus, he has a good idea of what he needs to do to pick up a Husker offer — and it involves his track and field times this spring. A long jumper and sprinter for Lincoln High, DeFrand has focused on adding strength for the football season all while maintaining his impressive 100-meter times in the spring.

DeFrand is hoping that strong numbers on the track this spring and stops at several major recruiting camps this summer will lead to additional interest and offers.

“If the schools haven’t offered me yet, that just means I have to work harder,” DeFrand said. “I’m texting these coaches, I’m trying to get to places for junior day visits and I’ve got to have a great year to get even more schools to come see me.”

* The countdown is on for Dylan Raiola’s visit to Nebraska this March. The No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2024 delighted Husker fans with a surprise appearance at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, and the elite quarterback recruit will be in Lincoln again soon.

A quiet recruiting period begins on March 1 and runs through mid-April, allowing Nebraska to host 2024 recruits throughout this period. Raiola is set to visit Nebraska on the weekend of March 25, and he’ll likely be joined by a star-studded list of recruits that includes Lee’s Summit (Mo.) North defensive tackle Williams Nwaneri and Ainsworth tight end Carter Nelson.

Other prospects will visit prior to that weekend and afterwards as well, but there’s no doubt the buzz of having Raiola on campus will help make it a major recruiting month for Nebraska.

* The Huskers are officially on the board with their 2024 recruiting class thanks to a commitment from Altair (Texas) Rice Consolidated High School athlete Roger Gradney last week. Nebraska will look to add a second commitment on Friday when Philadelphia Imhotep Institute cornerback Kenneth Woseley announces his college decision. Woseley is a teammate of 2023 safety commit Rahmir Stewart, and his top-four list of schools includes Nebraska, Rutgers, Penn State and Michigan.

* The Nebraska coaching staff has also been busy extending new offers to 2024 prospects in recent weeks, with a few that stand out as key players now on NU’s radar. Hialeah (Fla.) Westland cornerback Jamari Howard, a Michigan State commit, is a national track and field star who now holds a Nebraska offer. Nebraska also recently offered Washington D.C. Gonzaga defensive lineman DD Holmes, a three-star prospect whose recruitment has picked up in the last two months.

Meanwhile, a pair of unranked recruits from the East coast are also seeing additional attention from Nebraska. Cheshire (Conn.) Academy linebacker Elijah Newby was visited by running backs coach EJ Barthel and linebackers coach Rob Dvoracek in January, and now he has a scholarship offer from the Huskers. Both Barthel and Dvoracek recruit in the Philadelphia area as well, where West Catholic edge rusher Jayzen Flint earned his first Power 5 offer from Nebraska. A 6-foot-3, 235-pound edge rusher, Flint also has the frame to play tight end in college.