Nebraska Football Spring 2017: Five Players Who Must Step Up

Eric Lee Jr., Cornerback

In 2015, Lee was arguably the gem of a recruiting class that included Stanley Morgan, Dedrick Young, Aaron Williams, Devine Ozigbo and the Davis twins. All six of those players have made earlier and bigger impacts than Lee. The stud from Colorado came in with high expectations, but he has yet to live up to them.

The 6-0, 190-pounder is currently sitting behind younger players Lamar Jackson and DiCaprio Bootle on the depth chart. Jackson even played as a true freshman while Lee was mostly relegated to the bench. Bootle was a significantly less-heralded player, and he redshirted in his first year. It’s a surprise that he’s ahead of Lee.

Beyond those two youngsters, another blue-chip cornerback will step on campus come fall. California product Elijah Blades figures to work into the rotation early and often once he gets acclimated to the college game.

This all means that Lee needs a huge spring. Though he was mentioned a few times last year, he barely saw the field in 2016. Lee must make a major jump if he wants to keep up with the youth in front of him.