Nebraska Football: Jimari Butler gives Mike Dawson an intriguing project

In Butler, Nebraska football has a special talent.

When you take a look at the newcomers for the Nebraska football defense, there is certainly a ton of talent there. Nebraska  made sure to focus on recruiting edge rushers, as that was something they lacked last year. They certainly got a proficient one in Jimari Butler.

Butler was an absolute monster in high school.  Opposing offenses had a difficult time containing him. He recorded 14 ½ sacks, 22 tackles for losses and 21 quarterbacks hurries. Those numbers were recorded in just 10 games, and he was the undoubted defensive leader for Murphy High School. Now, he will look to see if his skills can translate over to Nebraska.

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The way he plays off the edge as well as his versatility are certainly two things that are strong points in Butler’s game. Mike Dawson was asked about Butler, and he gave an answer about how offenses can show defenses so many different looks. This correlates with Butler’s versatility and what he can bring defensively.

Personally, I think Butler brings an explosive edge player, something Nebraska football has not had in quite a while. Last season, they were able to bring pressure up the middle. However, when it came to applying pressure off the edge, that particular piece was really nowhere to be found last year. Now, Butler may give the program that feared edge threat.

The way Dawson talked about an offense, you could kind of see how he viewed Butler. A game changer, someone who could be used in many situations, and someone who is prepared for these different looks were all things that I thought Dawson could see in Butler. Whatever the case may be, Dawson will certainly have an interesting player to work with. It’s hard to believe that Butler only played one season of high school football.

"“This game is evolving so much, even year to year now. This is a different sport than when I played. It just is … The way that the RPO’s have changed the game, and the speed and tempo of it, the game is constantly evolving and we have to do the same thing when as we are recruiting these guys and bringing these guys in,” Dawson said. “So with a guy who hasn’t played as much, sometimes that’s OK because you don’t have to teach them to break old habits to start building new habits. So there are some positives you can take out of. And then you can also go through the negatives that happen: This guy doesn’t have a ton of experience. He doesn’t know, ‘Hey, when you do that, the result is going to be this. Don’t do that anymore.’ Where some of those guys can learn that in high school.”"

Although it sounds like Dawson views Butler as a bit of a project, appears he us also excited about what Butler can bring to the table. He may be a bit raw in terms of football experience. However, he should be able to adapt quickly in this Nebraska defense.

More and more, Nebraska has been starting to recruit athletes and players who can take away certain areas of the field. Take Nebraska’s latest commitment for example.  Will Schweitzer brings athleticism and the ability to offer coverage out of the linebacker spot.

It will be interesting to see where Butler fits in all this. I truly think he can be an impactful player for Nebraska football, and one whose impact will be noticed as soon as he steps on the field. This is certainly a changeup from certain areas of the Nebraska football defense last year. Nevertheless, he will have to prove himself once he steps between the lines. He adds an element of intrigue that many Nebraska football newcomers carry with them as well.