This would be a huge get for Nebraska Football.
The recruiting trail is scorching hot for Nebraska Football right now. They have been busy, especially following the season finale. Now, they appear to be checking in on Omar Manning.
Manning is the top junior college wide receiver in the country, and the top overall player in the state of Texas. He is ranked second nationally in the 2020 class. Nebraska has competition for him. Oregon, Arkansas, Boise State, and Florida are just some of the teams vying for his services.
Manning is everything Nebraska needs right now. He measures in at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds. He is the big-bodied receiver that the program has been looking for. Not only that, he can produce. He caught 35 passes for 727 yards, averaging 20.8 yards per reception. He led Kilgore Community College to an 8-2 record.
Steven M. Sipple of the Lincoln Journal Star wrote a report on Manning Thursday afternoon. There is one particular informational tidbit I found interesting. According to the report, the since that visit to the Nebraska campus, he has taken no additional visits and apparently has no others planned. That to me sounds like he is invested in Nebraska. However, you can never be too sure with these things.
I would be thrilled if the program were to land him. He is a tremendous possession receiver and with his height, he would be a matchup nightmare. He does lack breakaway speed, but that shouldn’t be a problem. To me, his body type screams red-zone target. That is exactly what Nebraska needs. He checks all of the boxes that Nebraska lacks at the moment. A tall receiver with tremendous possession skills, and one that can be depended on in the red zone.
However, he is definitely more than just a possession receiver. If he can spread the field like he has done at the high school level, then that would be an added bonus. In Sipple’s report, Kilgore College offensive coordinator Peter Hopkins had high praise for Manning,
"“He’s an NFL talent, for sure,” said Hopkins, whose coaching background includes a stint at Louisiana Tech. “He’s one of the better players I’ve ever been around.”"
I am praying that Nebraska Football can get this done. They need Manning in the passing game, and he would be an immediate asset. If Nebraska can land him on Early Signing Day, that would be a huge get for the program. He is the type of player that can help transform the passing game. I am certainly not going to say he’s a definite to come here, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed.