Nebraska Football: Top three spring breakout candidates

Jaylin Bradley

Jaylin Bradley should definitely be a spring breakout candidate. Although he is playing at a crowded running back position, he more than anybody else needs to use this spring ball as a chance to show he belongs in the running back conversation come the fall. There are others at the position that could take his spot, so he needs to maximize his time on the field right now.

Much like Warner, Bradley showed he could play well in spurts last season. It didn’t help that he was playing behind Devine Ozigbo last year among others. Nebraska Football’s game against Purdue was perhaps his defining moment last season. He rushed the ball seven times for 42 yards, including a 20-yard scamper that was his longest of the afternoon. In addition, he showed he could be an effective receiver out of the backfield, catching three passes for 21 yards. That dual-threat ability was on full display, and it should only be able to help his chances come the fall.

He still has a few things to work on as running backs coach Ryan Held wants him to work on his vision. However, that could be a relatively easy fix with the right amount of work put in. Once he gets control of movement and focuses on becoming a consistent runner, then he should be able to maximize his skill set. A strong second half of spring practices would not be an outlandish projection. He has the skillset to be successful, he just needs to work on refining his skills a little bit more.