Nebraska football’s offensive line is still a work in progress at the tackle position, and it has a ways to go before it’s where the staff wants it to be. An already thin position suffered unwanted attrition this offseason when promising developmental piece Xander Ruggeroli left for Arizona State in December.
Optimistically, the room is still a year away from having multiple options ready for prominent roles. One of the top priorities with this recruiting class was bringing in more clay for coach Donovan Raiola to mold.
Shawn Hammerbeck fits the multi-sport trait Nebraska likes to recruit. Along with being ranked the No. 1 football player in the Mount Rushmore State by 247Sports and ESPN, the 6-foot-6, 260-pound Hammerbeck is also a standout basketball player and track and field athlete.
As a junior, Hammerbeck put together exceptional fall, winter and spring sports seasons. On the gridiron, Hammerbeck led the Warriors in tackles and sacks and was a Class 11B all-state selection. On the basketball court, he was a Class A all-state pick, averaging a double-double with 15.5 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Last spring, he took home the Class A gold medal in the discus with a school-record mark of 163 feet, 3 inches, placed fifth in the javelin with a throw of 153 feet, 11 inches and finished ninth in the shot put, where he has a personal-best throw of 50 feet even.
Playing for Winner High School located in a small town of around 3,000 in south central South Dakota, Hammerbeck didn’t get on recruiting radars until after his junior season. He didn’t receive his first offer until the spring evaluation period this past January.
Although a late riser, Hammerbeck, a 247Sports four-star prospect, became a priority target for a handful of regional Power Four programs — including Nebraska — who were enamored by his frame, athleticism and positional flexibility. Primarily viewed as an offensive line prospect, Hammerbeck also received plenty of recruiting interest from programs who viewed him as a future defensive lineman.
Things moved quickly between Hammerbeck and Nebraska after head coach Matt Rhule personally extended him an offer during an unofficial visit April 13, 2024. Hammerbeck narrowed his focus to a handful of schools and took a June 14 official visit to Nebraska that was sandwiched between trips to fellow finalists Minnesota (June 7) and Texas Tech (June 21).
Rhule and his staff did a great job of building a relationship with Hammerbeck, who loved the family vibe around the Husker program and likes that Lincoln is only about a five-hour drive from home.
Hammerbeck committed to Nebraska on July 3 over a final group of Texas Tech, Minnesota and Kansas State, while also holding Power Four offers from Kansas, Michigan State and Oregon State.
Winner High School has a strong football tradition and although Hammerbeck battled injuries as a senior, he helped the Warriors to the program’s 10th state championship and was named Class 11B all-state for the second straight year.
Hammerbeck has played tight end and defensive end, but the Huskers are brining him in as an offensive tackle and feel he’s one of the Midwest’s best O-line prospects. However, as we’ve come to see from Rhule at every college stop he’s made, the evaluation process doesn’t stop when a prospect commits. Rhule has a proven track record of testing versatile young players at multiple positions to find their best spot on the field.
The bulk of Hammerbeck’s film is as a defensive lineman, and some schools — particularly Minnesota — were recruiting him as a five-tech. Once Hammerbeck gets to campus in June, coaches will also evaluate him as a potential defensive lineman and determine where he can best help the team long-term.
Hammerbeck is a talented athlete with tremendous upside. He has the frame, tools and explosion to play on either side of the ball, but I believe his ceiling is highest on the O-line even though he’s further along on defense. A lot will depend on how his body develops after he spends time with Corey Campbell and the strength and conditioning staff.
His time on the hardwood has given him great feet, balance and coordination. He could become a high-level pass blocker at left tackle in a few years. He’s going to need to change his body while getting bigger and stronger in order to play O-line in the Big Ten, but you have to love the raw potential.
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