Nebraska Football had a lot to be happy about Sunday morning.
Nebraska football has gotten their man. Noa Pola-Gates committed to Nebraska football on Sunday during the Polynesian Bowl. The four-star safety decided that Nebraska would be the place he would call home.
He is the No. 154 overall player in the 2019 class, the No. 19 cornerback, and the third overall player in the state of Arizona per the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He was recruited by quarterbacks coach Mario Verduzco and secondary coach Travis Fisher.
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He received an offer from the program back on January 19, 2018. Alabama was also very active in his recruitment, offering him on February 14. Pola-Gates named the Crimson Tide his leaders February 25, a day after attending the program’s Junior Day.
Penn State was another program who showed significant interest. Gates was offered by the program on February 3, the same day that he attended the Nittany Lions’ Junior Day. He would continue to go about the recruiting process, being offered by several teams and visiting several schools, but as Sunday made clear, Nebraska football was always on his mind.
This is an absolutely enormous get for Nebraska, and yet another win for Nebraska football on the recruiting trail. He is a player who is not the biggest on the football field, but he is very quick with his feet and can change direction easily. In watching his film, he does a nice job of staying in front of his man and not allowing his receiver to get the best of him. He also brings an element of physicality to his game. He should be able to make an impact at the position right away. In a conference that is very offensive-minded, having a player of his caliber is a tremendous asset.
JUST IN: Four-star safety and top 250 recruit Noa Pola-Gates commits to the #Huskers' 2019 class.
— Matt Reynoldson (@Matt_Reynoldson) January 20, 2019
He chose Nebraska over USC and Arizona State. Watch his announcement: pic.twitter.com/skoC7U7PeP
With this commitment, the 2019 Nebraska football recruiting class is shaping up nicely. The class ranks 20th nationally and is fourth in the Big Ten per the 247Sports recruiting rankings. This number is already better than the 2018 class. That ranked 23rd nationally. With seven commitments that have a four-star distinction, there is tons of talent to be had in this class. Gates will certainly add to the talent.
This is another huge get for Nebraska and head coach Scott Frost. It makes the defense even stronger and allows Nebraska football to have balance on both sides of the ball. This 2019 class has the potential to be something really special. This is not only a class that could make an impact right now, but it is a class that has the potential to be a cornerstone class. They could produce many winning seasons in the coming years.