LINCOLN — A group of 87 high school football players plans to visit Nebraska Saturday for a Junior Day event.
Among them, a handful have already received scholarship offers. And among that group, offensive lineman Dylan Admire of Overland Park, Kan., may soon join another, even more selective bunch: The NU recruiting class of 2011.
A 6-foot-3, 265-pound junior at Blue Valley West High School, Admire received an NU offer during a recent visit to Nebraska. In fact, he left Lincoln with just one regret — that he didn't get to meet coach Bo Pelini.
Their encounter figures to occur Saturday as the Husker staff hosts the first of three such days planned for this year. Prospects and their families receive a tour of the Nebraska facilities and meet with numerous NU officials.
"I think Dylan's pretty close to going ahead and committing there," said Scott Wright, Admire's coach at Blue Valley West High School. "After he gets a chance to talk with Bo, I wouldn't be surprised if he did."
His addition would only further solidify the Huskers' emphasis on forming the backbone of their next recruiting class with a strong group of offensive linemen. Linemen Ryne Reeves of Crete, Neb., and Tyler Moore of Clearwater, Fla., have already pledged to the Huskers in addition to quarterback Jamal Turner of Arlington, Texas.
Admire impressed the Nebraska coaches with his play last fall and passed the eyeball test when NU assistant Mike Ekeler visited Blue Valley West after the season, according to Wright.
Admire has visited Iowa State, Missouri, Kansas and Kansas State in addition to NU. The Jayhawks have offered a scholarship. Coaches from KSU and ISU have told Wright they plan to offer, the coach said.
"Quite honestly," Wright said, "I think he's been most impressed with Nebraska."
Nebraska noticed Admire as it looked last year at Blue Valley West defensive end Pat Lewandowski, who signed with Kansas. An additional connection, Wright coached with NU defensive coordinator Carl Pelini at Blue Valley High School in the early 1990s.
The 87 players set to visit Saturday come from nine states, said Jeff Jamrog, NU assistant athletic director for football.
Numbers are up this year, Jamrog said, for several reasons but not necessarily because the Huskers want to stockpile early commitments.
"I think more kids than ever are trying to get out and see as many campuses as possible," he said. "We invited a little more than what we've had in the past. Really, we want to get to know them as much as they want to know us."
NU can weigh and measure visiting prospects, important for early evaluation, Jamrog said.
The Huskers plan another Junior Day for April 17 to coincide with the spring game and also a late spring date.
"The more eyes and ears we get on our program, the better," Jamrog said. "Sometimes, I think people feel it's a race to see how fast you can get to 20 commitments, 18 or whatever. At the end of the day, we need to get the right ones.
"When we get the right ones, that isn't as vital. We just want to make sure that when they sign, it's the right fit for Nebraska."
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