Hey /r/Huskers! I’ve closed the Dude Guy Bust survey for the 2018 class and compiled the results. I’ll likely have the next survey posted tomorrow.
In order to quantifiably determine which player is a Dude, Guy, or Bust, I decided to take the results, and assign every Dude vote a score of 2, every Guy vote a 1, every Who? and TBD vote a 0, and every Bust vote a -1. I added up the scores of each player and normalized them to a scale of 0-1 where a 0 is where every respondent gave a vote of Bust and 1 is where every respondent gave a vote of Dude. This score is called the Dude-Guy-Bust Index (DGB-Index). In order to classify the Dude-ness of a player, I took whichever score their DGB-Index as closest to (and excluded No Opinion as a classification option). This means that 0-0.3333 is a Miss/Bust, 0.3334-0.8333 is a Guy, and 0.8334-1 is a Hit/Dude. In the case of a player who gets over 20% of the responses as To Be Determined and either Bust or Dude + Guy is less than 50%, I’m going to put them in a separate To Be Determined category and give the predicted results by replacing the To Be Determined votes with the predictions that followed it. The breakdown of the class using this method is as follows:
– Dudes: 1
– Guys: 6
– Busts: 12
– To Be Determined: 4
Below I’ve listed out each Dude, Guy, and Bust in order of their DGB-Index and gave a short blurb for each player:
# Dude
– DB __Cam Taylor-Britt__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/t4XMIxT.png) | 247 Composite: 0.8636 3*): 0.9085 DGB Index. Originally a quarterback in high school, Taylor-Britt converted to DB when he came to Nebraska. Despite the position change, he was an immediate contributor and avoided taking a redshirt and played in 11 games his True Freshman season. This past season, he played both safety and cornerback and recorded 45 tackles, four TFLs, 1.5 sacks, three interceptions, and four forced fumbles. He was voted Honorable Mention All-Big Ten.
# Guys
– QB __Adrian Martinez__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/XsgvhI5.png) | 247 Composite: 0.9423 4*): .8008 DGB Index. Martinez came into the program as a highly touted quarterback out of California. He beat out Tristan Gebbia for the starting position his True Freshman season to become the first True Freshman to start a season opener in Nebraska football history. He had an incredible Freshman season, ending up as a Freshman All-American and an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection while breaking all kinds of records. He took a significant step back his Sophomore year possibly due to some mixture of injury, play calling, the loss of Stanley Morgan and Devine Ozigbo, and who knows what else. He’s got two more years to position himself as one of the most decorated players in Nebraska history.
– OL __Cameron Jurgens__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/SMPJwp7.png) | 247 Composite: 0.9227 4*): 0.7439 DGB Index. Originally a tight end out of high school, Jurgens made the move to offensive line sometime during his redshirt year. This past year as a Redshirt Freshman, he started every game at center. Possibly due to the position switch, he had notorious snapping issues in the first half of the season or so that may have played into Martinez’s Sophomore slump to some degree. As the year went on, he got his snaps under control for the most part and really solidified himself as the starter with some good games down the stretch.
– DB __Deontai Williams__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/yccdhsx.png) | 247 Composite: 0.8784 3*): 0.6339 DGB Index. Williams made an immediate impact out of JUCO, playing in every game his Sophomore season and starting one. He had 23 tackles, a TFL, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions that season. This past season, he suffered a season ending injury in the opener against South Alabama. Hopefully we can see one final healthy season out of this talented safety.
– LB __Will Honas__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/QrRQSMe.png) | 247 Composite: 0.8818 3*): 0.6077 DGB Index. Another JUCO player, Honas only played in four games his first season at Nebraska before suffering a season ending injury. Fortunately, he was able to redshirt with the new four game redshirt rule in place. This past season, he played in every game as a significant piece of the inside linebacker rotation. He was second on the team with 73 tackles and added on six TFL and a sack.
– LB __Caleb Tannor__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/B3fZhyH.png) | 247 Composite: 0.8958 4*): 0.5548 DGB Index. Tannor was a last-minute recruiting win out of SEC country after the interesting finish to the recruitment of Javonte Jean-Baptiste. He avoided a redshirt and has played in every game since arriving at Nebraska. Many people have thought that he would become the disrupter in the backfield this defense needs, but he hasn’t yet really blown up to the type of guy who is constantly pressuring the quarterback to this point. He did get four TFLs and 2.5 sacks this past season, but he’ll need to take another step if he’s to become a dude.
– OL __Will Farniok__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/LyLWBY0.png) | 247 Composite: 0.8581 3*): 0.5528 DGB Index. I’m honestly surprised by this one. I honestly think a lot of people mixed Will up with his older brother Matt. Nonetheless, he played in three games this past season.
# Busts
– RB __Maurice Washington__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/BZlFr3V.png) | 247 Composite: 0.9190 4*): 0.2662 DGB Index. Washington was an immediate contributor on offense his True Freshman season. He was the first True Freshman to rush for 100 yards in a game since Imani Cross in 2012 and was only the fourth running back to have a 100 receiving yards in one game in Nebraska history. Unfortunately, he ran into some legal trouble in the offseason after that True Freshman season. He still played in seven games in his Sophomore year, racking up 298 rushing yards and 162 receiving yards before being “temporarily” removed from the team. He ended up announcing his intent to transfer after the season. His legal trouble culminated in some jail time recently. It appears he has not yet found a transfer destination.
– DB __Cam’ron Jones__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/K4dC5Ek.png) | 247 Composite: 0.9023 4*): 0.2208 DGB Index. A highly touted safety prospect, Cam’ron Jones had some injury issues that forced him to redshirt. He announced he was transferring after his redshirt year and is now an outside linebacker at SMU.
– K __Barret Pickering__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/j3aREnY.png) | 247 Composite: 0.8183 3*): 0.2154 DGB Index. Things looked promising for Pickering after some difficulties in his True Freshman season, but he experienced a bizarre injury while golfing apparently that forced him to sit the majority of this past season. He ended up quitting football citing health reasons after this past season.
– DB __Will Jackson III__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/nMi6yPo.png) | 247 Composite: N/A): 0.2113 DGB Index. I’m not surprised over half of respondents didn’t know who this was and one comment even asked if he was just a prominent walk on. He was actually a scholarship addition from JUCO a couple weeks before fall camp started, but then quit the team during fall camp after being unhappy with where he sat on the depth chart. Very short lived and weird story.
– DB __C.J. Smith__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/Dk3zifo.png) | 247 Composite: 0.8897 3*): 0.1849 DGB Index. The younger brother of UCF wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith, it’s not surprising that C.J. would want to play for the staff that helped his older brother get drafted in the third round of the NFL draft. However, things didn’t work out with the younger sibling and he opted to transfer to FCS Albany after his redshirt year.
– WR __Mike Williams__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/Rt3d2AC.png) | 247 Composite: 0.8474 3*): 0.1768 DGB Index. Williams came to Nebraska out of the JUCO East Mississippi as a promising speedy wide receiver. He appeared in every game in his two year Nebraska career, amassing a career total of 17 receptions for 329 yards and no touchdowns.
– WR __Justin McGriff__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/WkaCqSH.png) | 247 Composite: 0.8498 3*): 0.1097 DGB Index. McGriff flipped his commitment from UCF to Nebraska after the staff was hired on. He moved positions a couple times during his redshirt year then opted to transfer to a JUCO. He is now on the roster at Utah State.
– TE __Katerion Legrone__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/8DoPZIe.png) | 247 Composite: 0.8492 3*): 0.0975 DGB Index. He seemed to be a promising young tight end, but was accused of sexual assault along with Andre Hunt (below). He was indefinitely suspended from team activities prior to the season and eventually expelled from Nebraska.
– WR __Miles Jones__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/NglmMW6.png) | 247 Composite: 0.8741 3*): 0.0955 DGB Index. Jones was brought in to play the now well-known Duck-R position and had a couple fun flashes in very limited snaps, but opted to transfer after it became apparent he would be stuck behind Wan’Dale Robinson at the position. He is now a walk-on at Tennessee.
– WR __Jaron Woodyard__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/utP2NYz.png) | 247 Composite: 0.8859 3*): 0.0853 DGB Index. Another JUCO wide receiver, Woodyard also had a reputation as a speedster, but it never really came together as he ended up redshirting this past season and grad transferring to Marshall. He had four career receptions at Nebraska and appeared in 11 games.
– RB __Greg Bell__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/8b4yN18.png) | 247 Composite: 0.8846 3*): 0.0711 DGB Index. A bit of a weird situation, Bell was actually the starting running back at the beginning of the 2018 season, but then quit the team and announced his intent to transfer after the fourth game of the season after Devine Ozigbo had taken the starting spot. He ended up walking on at San Diego State.
– WR __Andre Hunt__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/1IbN4Mf.png) | 247 Composite: 0.8742 3*): 0.0548 DGB Index. Along with Katerian Legrone, Hunt was suspended from team activities and ultimately expelled from Nebraska after sexual assault allegations.
# To Be Determined
– DB __Braxton Clark__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/SB5wWWG.png) | [Follow-up Predictions](https://i.imgur.com/6ZgDjEy.png) | 247 Composite: 0.8490 3*): 0.5000 DGB Index without predictions; 0.6321 with predictions. Clark was an under-the-radar defensive back recruit out of high school, but looks like he will become a significant part of the defensive back room sooner rather than later. This past season as a Redshirt Freshman, he played in every game and started one, totaling 11 tackles and one interception. Now that Lamar Jackson graduated, he could become an integral piece of this defense.
– DL __Casey Rogers__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/fZaPX9I.png) | [Follow-up Predictions](https://i.imgur.com/Lt1hAUY.png) | 247 Composite: 0.8526 3*): 0.3780 DGB Index without predictions; 0.4939 with predictions. Rogers originally planned to play lacrosse at Syracuse since his dad coaches for that program, but instead opted to play football at Nebraska instead. He has undergone a massive physical transformation and will likely be part of the defensive line rotation this upcoming season.
– DL __Tate Wildeman__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/CpIcdVa.png) | [Follow-up Predictions](https://i.imgur.com/zGJYiIq.png) | 247 Composite: 0.8971 4*): 0.3272 DGB Index without predictions; 0.4593 with predictions. A highly touted defensive line recruit, Wildeman ended up at Nebraska despite being an Iowa legacy. He has battled some injuries early in his career and hasn’t seen any playing time to this point. Tuioti recently mentioned him as a young guy that’s on the up and up.
– LB __David Alston__ ([Results](https://i.imgur.com/Pkk3x3Z.png) | [Follow-up Predictions](https://i.imgur.com/aG6SJOi.png) | 247 Composite: 0.8721 3*): 0.2500 DGB Index without prediction; 0.2378 with predictions. The only TBD to have a lower score with predictions added in, Alston seems to be lost in the mix at linebacker and doesn’t seem to come up much if at all when coaches talk about the linebacker room. This year and upcoming offseason may be key in the direction of his career at Nebraska.
# Notable Survey Comments
> This was a tougher class to evaluate. A lot of guys are TBD. And then you have a someone like Maurice Washington who is a Dude, but got kicked off the team. So does that make him a bust?
This is definitely a more difficult class. The next one will probably be tougher. The evaluation is why this is fun though 😊
> love u bby psyspoopy
luv u 2
> A lot of potential. 2020 season could push a couple up to dude level.
Absolutely, quite a few Guys that could make the jump with a good season.
> I love these.. thank you.
Thank you, I’m really enjoying putting these together and am very glad at the response that they’ve received.
# Conclusion
This class still has a pretty high bust rate, especially for how young it is. However, it is refreshing to see at least some of the top guys in the class sticking around and becoming contributors at the very least after the nightmare that was the 2017 class.
What do you think? Do you disagree/agree with where these players ended up? Any thoughts on this class or any of the players in it?
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