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Nebraska Football: Chris Hickman could be in line for big role in 2020

By Danny Jaillet

LINCOLN, NE - NOVEMBER 29: Early arriving fans toss a football before the game between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Iowa Hawkeyes at Memorial Stadium on November 29, 2019 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - NOVEMBER 29: Early arriving fans toss a football before the game between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Iowa Hawkeyes at Memorial Stadium on November 29, 2019 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /
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The Nebraska football tight end could be in line for a bigger role in 2020.

Michael Bruntz of 247Sports wrote an article on Friday detailing the five redshirt players who could help Nebraska football in 2020. All players were good suggestions, but I saw one on the list in particular that intrigued me. Tight end Chris Hickman should be able to help with the offense next season.

He spent time at both the tight end and wide receiver positions last year. In total, he recorded one catch on the season. Given how Nebraska did not get a ton of production from the tight end position last year, I would think that Hickman could be a viable option in 2020. Measuring in at six-foot-six, 215 pounds, the freshman from Omaha certainly has the build to be a tight end.

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As a recruit, Hickman was a three-star prospect. He was the 18th overall tight end in the 2020 class, and the second overall player in his class from the state of Nebraska per the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Given how the tight end position did not get a ton of production last year, I would figure that Hickman has a good shot to receive significant playing time next year. A lot of times last year, the coaches held back the freshman in order to have them available for bigger roles. Now, they do not have to hold back the 2020 class at all. This is the year we are going to see them play at a high level and be a focal point of the program. Only then can we evaluate what this class means for the future.

I feel like Hickman can be a valued asset for Nebraska football. He is a playmaking tight end, something that this offense is definitely going to need. He also has tremendous length and size. That would be helpful in the red zone. Furthermore, he showed in limited snaps that he could block a bit as well. As a sophomore with limited reps, there comes the development process as well. However, once he gets a few more games under his belt, he has the chance to be really successful.

It will be interesting to see what he can do in his second year with the Nebraska football program. If his high school highlights are an indication, he can be a playmaker. That is exactly what Nebraska needs at the position. That only strengthens the offense even further as they look to compete with the rest of the Big Ten conference.

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