Top 14 Most Intriguing Huskers To Watch In Spring Ball, No. 14 Keelan Smith

Nebraska football kicks off Spring Ball Season No. 2 under Matt Rhule with an official March 24 start date.

In the leadup to the much-anticipated (and much-needed) return of Husker football, Inside Nebraska is counting down the days until that first morning of practice with our list of the Top 14 Most Intriguing Huskers to Watch during spring ball.

To be clear: This is not a list of the 14 most important players on the Huskers’ roster, and it is not a list of the 14 best players in the Nebraska program. It is a list that consists of mostly players who we have not seen on the field much, if at all, in a Husker jersey or otherwise who we – and many others – are anxious to see play live in order to get a better understanding of them as an athlete, how they fit into this version of Nebraska football and what their role might be in 2024.

Without further rambling, we kick off the list with No. 14: True freshman wide receiver Keelan Smith.

Measureables: 6-foot-2, 205 lbs.

Class: True freshman

Position: Wide Receiver

Analysis:

When Nebraska released its official updated online roster and Smith was listed as a wide receiver, it wasn’t shocking but it certainly caught your attention if you followed his recruitment closely.

When Smith committed to the Huskers as their sixth member of the class in May 2023, his decision was loaded with intrigue and excitement. Not just because of his bloodlines – he’s the son of Nebraska legend and one of the program’s all-time greatest pass rushers in Neil Smith, a former All-American and No. 2 overall NFL Draft pick Neil Smith – and not just because he came from an area (Kansas City) that the Huskers have been dying to crack heavily of late (especially with all of the talent coming from that state over the last handful of years).

But also because of the simple question: What position will he play? Where will he fit?

Those questions were not asked out of concern but, rather, excitement when thinking about the possibilities. At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, there are a few possibilities, and that’s why he was such a priority target for Nebraska and why Smith himself felt it was a good fit.

“I mean, it doesn’t bother me (to switch positions),” Smith told Inside Nebraska on why he picked the Huskers. “That’s why I feel like I’m unique. I can play both (offense and defense) and feel that it won’t affect me in anyway,” Smith said. “I want to play whatever (position) helps the team win.”

Rivals national recruiting analyst Greg Smith – our former senior recruiting analyst here at Inside Nebraska – was all over Smith’s recruitment and commitment. He broke things down on why he was so intrigued about the addition of the three-star who Rivals listed as a tight end prospect in high school.

Greg Smith: “Keelan has a lot of potential for growth both with his frame and his game. Does he stay as a big wide receiver in Lincoln? A versatile, pass catching tight end? Keep growing into a defensive lineman like his dad? There are plenty of options for how Smith’s future could turn out in Lincoln, but I’m betting on him to have a good career.”