Your NEBRASKA HUSKERS 2023 Way Too Early, Pre-Portal Depth Chart matt rhule jeff sims casey thompson

There’s nothing we fans love more than a good depth chart. And these days with multiple positions and packages, coaches regard a depth chart the same way ‘57 Corvette driver probably regarded the upsides of a horse and buggy. There are many other reasons including but not limited to:

• not desiring to let opposing coaches know who may start at contested positions let alone who’s going to be first off the bench.
• the fact that who plays is dependent at times on opponent personnel.
• reserving the right to go with his gut in an individual situation.
• having no desire to come up with multiple depth charts for each aforementioned set, be it offense or defense.
• if you’re not in this locker room, it’s none of y’all’s damn bidness.

There’s probably a load of other good reasons – if you’ve got one, comment below.

Anyway, before the portal fills up and at the risk of infuriating Coach Rhule (such a hair-trigger temper always on display), I just wanted to take a swing at a very, very general depth chart. This is based on zero inside info or anything else resembling concrete knowledge of what’s going on.

It’s simply a combination of combing over the roster, reading articles about practice, noting playing time and starters in the Spring Game, also noting returning players with playing time and experience (coaches say it’s a clean slate and doesn’t matter but it does) and at the very end of it, just rolling the dice and taking some best guesses.

If history is any indicator, I’m way off in places – let us know what you think in the comments below.

OFFENSE

Quarterback

1) Jeff Sims OR Casey Thompson
2) Heinrich Haarberg
3) Chubba Purdy OR Logan Smothers

Sims looked very good Saturday, but the real battle will be in the fall. He may be bigger and faster than Casey, but the returning starter is a master of study and throws a mean deep ball – and never doubt his competitiveness. Also, regardless of who takes the first snap, I believe both will play a big role in the fall.

Running Back

1) Anthony Grant
2) Gabe Ervin Jr OR Rahmir Johnson OR Ajay Allen

Grant gets the early nod as the returning #1 and getting twice the carries in the Red-White battle. The way everyone ran, however, almost had this as four co-number 1’s. No one has separated themselves yet.

Fullback

(See TE’s not named Boerkircher/Gilbert/Fidone)

Wide Receiver 1

1) Marcus Washington OR Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda
2) Shawn Hardy II
3) Taveon Thompson

Wide Receiver 2

1) Xavier Betts OR Josh Fleeks
2) Victor Jones

Wide Receiver Slot

1) Billy Kemp IV
2) Ty Hahn

All WR’s: Kemp, Washington, Betts, Fleeks and Garcia-Casteneda appear to have separated. And don’t count out Malachi Coleman coming in and getting on the field quickly with his skills – FYI, he may not have missed a spring practice. Like several other positions, there is potential ready to burst here.

Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images

Left Tackle

1) Teddy Prochazka
2) Turner Corcoran

Left Guard

1) Nouredin Nouili

Center

1) Ben Scott

Right Guard

1) Ethan Piper
2) Henry Lutovsky OR Turner Corcoran

Right Tackle

1) Bryce Benhart
2) Ezra Milller

With so few healthy on the spring O-line, summer conditioning and workouts, a fully healthy group in the fall and possibly more work in the transfer portal will be necessary to shake out playing time here.

Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images

DEFENSE

I tried to be very general here after getting a good look at the fact the Huskers will not be constantly lining up in a 3-3-5.

Defensive Line

1’s) Ty Robinson – Nash Hutmacher – Elijah Jeudy – Princewill Umanmielen – Stephon Wynn Jr – Cameron Lenhardt
2’s) Blaise Gunnerson – Ru’Quam Buckley – Brodie Tagaloa – Kai Wallin – AJ Rollins

Although still keeping my fingers crossed, this group looked very, very good, especially some youngsters who announced their presence with authority – and not in the Nuke Laloosh Bull Durham style. Umanmielan is looking like a starter now and both Lenhardt and Wallin made people notice as well.

Linebackers

1’s) Nick Henrich – Luke Reimer – MJ Sherman – Chief Borders
2’s) John Bullock – Jimari Butler – Gage Stegner – Maverick Noonan
3’s) Garrett Snodgrass – Grant Tagge – Mikai Gbayor

With Henrich and Reimer out, youngsters here had a chance to shine as well. Native sons Noonan and Stegner both made some plays and John Bullock’s spring work may have him on the cusp of a scholarship.

Cornerbacks

1’s) Malcom Hartzog – Quentin Newsome
2’s) Jalil Martin – Tommi Hill
3) Braxton Clark

Safeties

1’s) Corey Collier – Omar Brown – Isaac Gifford(N)
2’s) Javier Morton – Myles Farmer – Deshon Singleton
3’s) Marques Buford – Javin Wright – Phalen Sandford

Defensive backs: Despite some shuffling around, Hartzog and Newsome appear to be as close to a lock to start (at the corners) as anyone on the roster. Safeties still appear to be a battle – and is that 3rd safety/Nickel still going to be a Jojo Domann-type position?