Spielman will record at least 80 catches
It is no secret that JD Spielman is going to have to be the main leader in the Nebraska football wide receiving group. With that being said, increased production should come as a result. That is why my “easiest” bold prediction is that Spielman will record at least 80 catches on the season.
He caught 66 passes in 2018 and his best game came on September 29 against Purdue. In that contest, he recorded 10 catches for 135 yards and two touchdowns. Averaging 13.5 yards per grab, he was truly an offensive catalyst. A 21-yard grab was his longest of the afternoon. At the time, he showed that Nebraska football had an additional explosive option besides Stanley Morgan and he gave them a sneak peek of what was to come. Now, with the departure of Morgan, Spielman should definitely see some more passes thrown his way.
80 catches may seem like a lot, but I truly believe Spielman will be the focal point of the offense. The receiving leaders after him in 2018 were tight end Jack Stoll and running back Maurice Washington. That speaks for itself. Nebraska relied on the wide receivers heavily, and if I was Adrian Martinez I would do the same. Spielman has incredible playmaking ability and he should be able to flash it in 2019.