We’re gonna look at five Nebraska Football players who could make the jump from just a name on the roster to a big playmaker in 2018.
Every fan of any sport loves a playmaker on their team. They’re the ones you can always rely on to do something big, no matter the circumstances. Consistency is a key quality in a playmaker, especially for Nebraska football.
They’re not hard to pick out. They are usually the names you hear the most. For the Huskers, the known playmakers going into 2018 are ones such as Stanley Morgan and JD Spielman. You’ve likely heard their names a million times this off-season.
However, the thing about playmakers is that they weren’t always known as playmakers. They had to have had a breakout season somewhere along the way.
So this time, we’re going to focus on five Cornhuskers whose names haven’t been mentioned a million times. They have all been on the roster for at least a year, but have been flying under the radar up to this point. These are five players who have the potential to breach the surface and make the transition from names on the Nebraska football roster to known big playmakers in 2018.
Jack Stoll
Jack Stoll was tight end number two for Nebraska Football behind Tyler Hoppes in 2017. Hoppes became a playmaker himself throughout his senior campaign. He put up 377 receiving yards and 3 TDs last season before heading to the NFL.
Those numbers aren’t eye-popping, but those are no easy shoes to fill either. Stoll saw the field as well. He had a humble eight catches for 89 yards and a pair of touchdowns to go along with them.
At 6′ 4″ 245 lbs, Stoll is a nice blend of size and athleticism. I would expect to see Stoll transform into a big playmaker in 2018 as he will likely be the number one guy at tight end. We saw him playing for the Red squad in the Spring game in April.
It’s also worth pointing out that Frost’s offense uses plenty of the tight end in addition to speedy wideouts. Jordan Akins, tight end at UCF, caught 32 passes for 515 yards and 4 TDs in 2017.
Jaevon McQuitty
Jaevon McQuitty is the only player on this list with no downs played for the Nebraska Football team. The redshirt freshman receiver’s career didn’t start the way he wanted it to. In the summer of 2017, Mike Riley stated that Jaevon McQuitty was one of a few true freshman that would probably get playing time. Unfortunately, he suffered a knee injury shortly before the season that forced him to redshirt instead.
But as the 2018 season approaches, he seems to be fully healthy and ready to contribute. McQuitty had a good showing in the Spring game with 3 catches for 33 yards and a touchdown. It would’ve been 4 catches for about 68 yards had it not been for an illegal formation penalty. When projected out to twelve games, this is 48 catches for 816 yards. If McQuitty puts up numbers anywhere close to these as a redshirt freshman, he will have achieved playmaker status.
McQuitty’s size doesn’t hurt his potential either. At 6′ 0”, he has a more traditional wideout frame compared to guys like Tyjon Lindsey or JD Speilman. He showed off this length and his ability to go up and get those deep, 50-50 balls in the Spring game.
It’s hard to say how much playing time McQuitty will get in 2018 when he’s surrounded by the talented receivers on the Nebraska football team, but I think it’s safe to say that he will make the most of whatever he gets thrown his way.
Freedom Akinmoladun
Some Nebraska football fans may think that defensive end Freedom Akinmoladun has already shown he can make big plays. That’s right, he has shown that.
I mentioned earlier that consistency is a key characteristic of a big-time playmaker. Consistency is the piece that could turn Akinmoladun into a much-needed dangerous pass rusher for the Cornhuskers in 2018.
In 2015, Akinmoladun received Big Ten All-Freshman honors. He led the team with 4.5 sacks and tied for second with 7 tackles for a loss.
He has since trended down with only 1 sack and 2 tackles for a loss in 2017. Due to his impressive freshman year, we know Freedom has the potential to be a playmaker for this Blackshirt defense, he just has to find consistency.
Perhaps the new strength training program will be enough to elevate Akinmoladun’s stats this season. He also really seems to have bought into the “killer instinct” attitude that Frost and company want their players to adopt.
I think these factors just might turn Freedom Akinmoladun into a consistent playmaker for Nebraska Football in 2018.
Tyjon Lindsey
Tyjon Lindsey‘s Nebraska football career started slow. Real slow.
He came in as the highest rated player in the 2017 class and he got immediate playing time. Unfortunately, all his raw talent didn’t translate right away.
The receiver finished last season with a modest 12 catches for 76 yards. Fortunately, there are many reasons that Lindsey’s future may be a bright one.
First of all, he has a year of experience under his belt. The freshman jitters are gone.
Secondly, and most importantly, he will not be playing in Mike Riley‘s offense, he will be playing in Scott Frost’s offense.
That’s like trading a Mustang for a Ferrari. Lindsey was always meant to drive the Ferrari.
Frost’s offense features the Duck-R position. This position is designed for a multi-talented player who will get lots of touches. Lindsey seems to be the man for the job, therefore, it’s not hard to imagine that he will multiply his production in for the Nebraska football team in 2018.
Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson is a player that Nebraska Football fans have been waiting on for a couple of years now. The cornerback was the highest rated player in Nebraska’s 2016 recruiting class.
In 2017, Jackson started every game at cornerback. He is already a good player, but he is on this list because he has more potential he can fill.
Jackson recorded 38 total tackles, which put him 10th on the team. He has also recorded no interceptions in an actual game in his two years of experience.
Things have been on an upward trend for Jackson since the end of the lackluster 2017 season. During the Spring game, he got his first interception in a Nebraska Football uniform.
That alone was likely a huge confidence boost for Jackson. More turnover production is key for him.
Lamar Jackson also enters 2018 as a junior. As an upperclassman starter, he naturally will have to take on a leadership role, both on and off the field.
He talks to the media with more confidence and swagger. I think the combination of experience and self-discipline may turn Lamar Jackson into the mean turnover machine that Nebraska football fans have been waiting to see.