Nebraska Football: JD Spielman deservedly on Hornung Award Watch List

LINCOLN, NE - SEPTEMBER 23: Wide receiver JD Spielman #10 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers escapes the tackle of defensive back Kiy Hester #2 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Memorial Stadium on September 23, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - SEPTEMBER 23: Wide receiver JD Spielman #10 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers escapes the tackle of defensive back Kiy Hester #2 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Memorial Stadium on September 23, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)

More preseason hype for a member of Nebraska Football

The accolades just keep coming for Nebraska Football wide receiver JD Spielman. Thursday, the junior was named to the Paul Hornung Award Watch List.

Spielman joins a list of 44 wide receivers. The Big Ten is once again well-represented with eight on the list.

Spielman is looking to build off what was a tremendous 2018 season. He caught 66 passes for 881 yards and nine touchdowns. He provided a great second option for quarterback Adrian Martinez. Now with Stanley Morgan Jr. gone, he will need to be a first option. He could definitely take over that role.

He will have a chance to make some history in 2019. He needs only 68 catches and 1,099 yards to be the all-time leader in those categories. Given the tremendous amount of talent at the wide receiver position that Nebraska Football has had over the years, that is certainly a tremendous accomplishment.

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It will be interesting to see how he does this upcoming season. I certainly predict that he will have a great year, as he can build off what he accomplished last year. Furthermore, he should be the primary veteran target on a Nebraska offense that is fast-paced. With him and Martinez clicking, that can only mean great things for the 2019 season. Spielman is definitely in line for a big year.

It’s too early to predict what his 2019 numbers will look like, although I should be able to do so within the next couple of weeks. This is a Nebraska Football offense that is a lot deeper than last year. There’ll be plenty of options for the quarterbacks to throw to. Spielman should definitely be in that mix. Especially with so much youth on the receiving unit, he could have a pivotal role in the offense next season.

It seems like Nebraska has received a lot of preseason recognition this offseason. Now, they have to begin to put in the work. In just a couple of weeks, Nebraska Football will start the 2019 regular season. After what was a long winter, adding to what was a long offseason in general, football is finally here. We are beginning to get an idea of what this Nebraska Football team could look like. If the players on the roster and the hype is any indication of what this team can do, we could be in for one of the best years for Nebraska Football in recent memory. That would certainly be quite a turnaround from a 4-8 season.