Texan wide receiver Ernest Campbell among Nebraska’s weekend visitors

On the final recruiting weekend before the NCAA’s dead period begins, Nebraska football will once again bring in several Texan recruits for official visits. After an ultra-efficient week where Nebraska landed commitments from five of its eight official visitors, it remains to be seen if the Huskers can add further to their 2024 recruiting class.

Nebraska is still without a 2024 wide receiver — the Huskers want Refugio (Texas) wideout Ernest Campbell, but it won’t be easy. The four-star wide receiver and top-400 national recruit has been on NU’s radar since the spring. A visit from wide receivers coach Garret McGuire to his high school helped get the ball rolling between Campbell and Nebraska, which extended a scholarship offer on April 29.

Now, Campbell is interested to see McGuire and the rest of the Nebraska staff in person.

“It’s a young coaching staff and I wanted to see what they’re all like,” Campbell said. “Sometimes I can be a little nervous talking to some coaches, but I’m (really) comfortable with coach McGuire and we’ve been talking a lot lately. Our relationship is really good.”

It’s easy to see why Nebraska is interested in Campbell considering the Huskers’ recent prioritization of recruits with elite track and field times. Considering Campbell won a state championship with a blistering 10.22-second 100-meter dash this spring, he fits the mold NU is after.

The 5-foot-8, 150-pound recruit said he’s been in contact with Nebraska’s track and field coaches, an important detail because he plans to both run track and play football in college. Campbell was inspired by one of his coaches at Refugio, Tayo Jones, who both ran track and played football at Texas A&M.

“One thing I want to know is when it comes to track season, are they going to let me go early, or are they going to let me go when they’re ready?” Campbell said. “That’s what I’m trying to find out wherever I go.”

The wide receiver recruit said he’s friends with NU freshmen Brice Turner and Princewill Umanmielen and will look forward to seeing them on his visit. Campbell isn’t the only official visitor coming from Texas this weekend, either.

Running back targets have been few and far between in Nebraska’s 2024 recruiting efforts, but Lancaster (Texas) running back Kewan Lacy has always been in the mix. Lacy was one of NU’s first 2024 offers in January and has since released a top-six list of schools that included Nebraska alongside Arizona State, Baylor, Miami, Mississippi and TCU.

Lacy is also a track and field sprinter whose 100-meter dash clocks in 10.80 seconds. An ultra-productive high school player, Lacy has over 2,000 rushing yards and 25 total touchdowns in the last two seasons.

The Texas traveling party wouldn’t be complete without most of NU’s 2024 commits coming back for a return visit. Athlete Roger Gradney, tight end Ian Flynt and offensive lineman Gibson Pyle are all set to visit Nebraska once again after committing in recent months.

Nebraska is also set to host a key defensive line target in Eagle Mountain (Utah) Cedar Valley edge rusher Devoux Tuataga. Nebraska offered Tuataga on May 4, making the Huskers one of several schools interested in the 6-6, 235-pound edge rusher after he put up 11 sacks during his junior season. Tuataga visited Oregon last weekend and was recently selected to participate in the Polynesian Bowl all-star game in January.