One of the most intriguing positions on Nebraska‘s football team heading into 2024 is receiver.
The Huskers badly needed size and experience following 2023, so they went to the transfer portal to find it. With receivers coach Garret McGuire leading the way — and the pitch of potentially catching passes from Dylan Raiola — Nebraska landed two veteran transfers who will likely be heavily involved in 2024 in Jahmal Banks from Wake Forest and Isaiah Neyor from Texas (and Wyoming before that).
The Huskers also return Jaylen Lloyd, Malachi Coleman and Alex Bullock while adding new faces in true freshmen Jacory Barney Jr., Quinn Clark, Keelan Smith, Dae’vonn Hall and Isaiah McMorris.
And even though true freshman Carter Nelson is listed as a tight end on the roster, it’s safe to say Husker fans will see him used as a big-bodied receiver detached from the offensive line often in his career.
And don’t forget about Janiran Bonner, too. If the spring game is any indication, he’ll see more snaps at wideout in 2024, and perhaps many in the slot. That’s a 220-pound physical body out there that’s hard for corners to tackle one-on-one and could help bust open receiver screens.
It’s a high-upside group with options. Plenty of options.
“I think it’s one of our strongest positions. … There’s just good people in that room, and they’re highly, highly talented,” head coach Matt Rhule said last week. “I think it’s gonna be one of our stronger positions this year, and I think we’re gonna be 8-, 9-, 10-deep.”
Does Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda factor into that rotation?
The Californian sustained a season-ending ACL injury in last season’s opener at Minnesota. He returned for his sixth and final year of college football, but as expected was held out of spring practices as he continued his rehab.
During a recent appearance on ‘Sports Nightly,’ Garcia-Castaneda looked like a player in the midst of a fresh start. No longer is he sporting the long, curly hair that always poked out the backside of his helmet. Instead, he has a sharp-looking short style now (much easier to manage post-surgery, he said). He was also wearing a new number — 13, a switch from his usual 82.
“New number, kind of feels like a new me in a positive way,” Garcia-Castaneda said. “I’ve put in a lot of work going through this whole rehab process, but it feels good to know that this fall is coming up soon.”
Garcia-Castaneda is long removed from the go-route he caught for a touchdown against Northwestern in Dublin 671 days ago:
He’s also far removed from entering the transfer portal in October of that same 2022 season. When Rhule was hired, Garcia-Castaneda asked if he could return, and Rhule obliged.
After the 2023 season was taken from him in a second, Garcia-Castaneda became determined to attack his rehab and strengthen his body. He did just that by adding around 10 pounds of muscle.
“Initially it was hard, it was really hard obviously, just with the way everything happened with the injury,” he said. “But I went in with the mindset of trying to control what I can control, and this January when we started winter workouts I wanted to put my head down and start making strides for myself individually and come back a completely different, stronger, bigger, physical receiver.”
The 6-foot Garcia-Castaneda is currently at 198 pounds.
That extra muscle, plus the edge he’ll be playing with once he gets back on the field, whether that’s early in the season or in the back half, will help Garcia-Castaneda in other areas of his game, like as a blocker on the perimeter or punt returner on special teams.
Through it all, Garcia-Castaneda will follow McGuire, who he’s come to build a strong relationship with.
“He’s one of the smartest coaches I’ve been around,” Garcia-Castaneda said. “He’s a genuine players’ coach, and I’ve learned how to work from him. He has a great work ethic and he’s taught me a lot about and brings a toughness out of us and an extra level of work ethic. I love that about him because he’s always ready to go and he gets us fired up. It’s easy to play for a coach like him.”
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