Luke Mullin, Amie Just and Wilson Moore share their thoughts on Nebraska’s transfer portal departures – including Casey Thompson – and offer other insights.
Three-star athlete Keelan Smith announced his commitment to Nebraska on Friday. Here’s the key information to know about the Huskers’ latest commit.
Height and weight: 6-3, 205 pounds.
247Sports composite: Unranked.
Other key offers: Missouri, Kansas State.
Two takeaways
* Not just a legacy recruit: This is no common Smith family. Keelan Smith’s father, Neil Smith, is a former Husker who put together a 13-year NFL career that included over 100 sacks. That familial relationship may have gotten Keelan Smith on Nebraska’s radar — but his athleticism is what secured Smith’s spot in Nebraska’s 2024 class. Smith visited Nebraska under the previous coaching staff and remained interested in becoming in a Husker in the months since.
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* Dynamic pass-catcher: Smith’s high school offense at Liberty North in Missouri showcased his talents in a way few high schools can. The mostly spread-style offense led to the big, dynamic pass-catching target getting his fair share of opportunities. Playing as more of a wide receiver than a tight end, Smith hauled in 50 catches for 850 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior — routinely torching opposing coverage.
What it means
Smith will arrive at Nebraska with positional flexibility right away, a trait that the Huskers have prioritized in recruits under Matt Rhule’s leadership. As a hybrid tight end/wide receiver, it’s easy to draw a comparison between Smith and 2023 signee Ismael Smith Flores. Smith is 2 inches shorter and 5 pounds lighter than Smith Flores, so size limitations could keep him from being an every-down contributor at tight end.
As a pass-catcher, though, Smith is far more polished than Smith Flores, whose senior tape showed enough flashes for tight ends coach Bob Wager to bring him to Nebraska. Smith is already a seasoned receiver, though his athletic advantage compared to high school defensive backs will be lessened once he makes the jump to the collegiate level.
With an athlete of Smith’s caliber, a move to the defensive side of the ball could be possible as well.
Today in sports history: May 5
1969: Boston Celtics beat LA Lakers in Game 7 of NBA Finals
1969 — The Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers 107-102 in the seventh game to win the NBA championship for the 10th time in 11 years. Player-coach Bill Russell and Sam Jones retire as players.
1973: Secretariat wins Kentucky Derby on way to Triple Crown
1973 — Secretariat, ridden by Ron Turcotte, wins the Kentucky Derby with a record time of 1:59.2. Secretariat beats Sham by 2½ lengths and goes on to win the Triple Crown.
1978: Pete Rose of the Reds becomes the 14th player with 3,000 hits
1978 — Pete Rose of the Reds becomes the 14th player with 3,000 hits, singling in the fifth inning against Montreal’s Steve Rogers at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium.
2007: Floyd Mayweather Jr. beats Oscar De La Hoya in one of the richest fights
2007 — Floyd Mayweather Jr. beats Oscar De La Hoya in one of the richest fights. Mayweather, with superb defensive skills and superior speed, wins a 12-round split decision and the WBC 154-pound title in his first fight at that weight. The sellout crowd of 16,200 at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas sets a record $19 million gate.
2007: Street Sense roars from next-to-last to win Kentucky Derby
2007 — Street Sense, ridden by Calvin Borel, roars from next-to-last in a 20-horse field to win the Kentucky Derby by 2 1-2 lengths over Hard Spun.
2012: I’ll Have Another catches Bodemeister down the stretch to win Kentucky Derby
2012 — I’ll Have Another catches Bodemeister down the stretch and pulls away in the final furlong to win the Kentucky Derby. Jockey Mario Gutierrez, riding in his first Derby, guides the 3-year-old colt to a 1½-length victory in front of a Derby-record crowd of 165,307.
2013: LeBron James is overwhelming choice as NBA’s Most Valuable Player
2013 — LeBron James is the overwhelming choice as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player. The Miami star gets 120 of 121 first-place votes in this year’s balloting, giving him the award for the fourth time.
2017: Corey Perry scores in second OT to lift Ducks over Oilers
2017 — Corey Perry scores 6:57 into the second overtime after the Anaheim Ducks rally from a three-goal deficit in the final minutes of regulation, completing a spectacular 4-3 comeback win over the Edmonton Oilers. Rickard Rakell scores the tying goal with 15 seconds left in regulation to cap a stunning sequence of three goals in just over three minutes, all with goalie John Gibson pulled for an extra attacker.
2018: Justify splashes through the slop to win the Kentucky Derby by 2½ lengths
2018 — Justify splashes through the slop to win the Kentucky Derby by 2½ lengths, becoming the first colt in 136 years to wear the roses after not racing as a 2-year-old. The colt that began his racing career in February improves to 4-0 and gives trainer Bob Baffert his fifth Derby victory. Jockey Mike Smith earns his second Derby victory as the 5-2 favorite in the field of 20.
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