18 | August 2024
HUSKERS PREVIEW
POSITION BREAKDOWN
POSITION BREAKDOWN
LINEBACKER | JOHN BULLOCK
DEFENSIVE BACKS | ISAAC GIFFORD
THE STAR Bullock is a grizzled veteran who’ll lean on his teammates to get the job done. In order for the NU defense to be at its best, Bullock will need to be on the field as the team’s most experienced in- side linebacker and top run-stopper. THE STUNTMEN Javin Wright and Mikai Gbayor will both see plenty of the field due to their ability to fill multiple linebacker roles. Nebraska will get a major pass-rushing contribution from its top “Jack line- backers,” MJ Sher- man and Princewill Umanmielen, while Syracuse transfer Stefon Thompson could be an impact addition.
THE CAST No. 5
THE CAST No. 2
No. 37 Evan Taylor
6-2 185 Fr.
Isaac Gifford
6-1 205 Sr.
John Bullock
6-0
230
Sr.
No. 8
DeShon Singleton
6-3 210 Sr.
No. 38 Cooper Wilson
6-3 195 R-Fr.
No. 17 Willis McGahee IV
6-1
235
Fr.
THE STAR Having played in every single Nebraska game for the last four seasons, there are few Husk- ers as experienced and knowledgeable as Gif- ford. The senior safety patrols the backend of the defense, often dropping into coverage or attacking the line of scrimmage. Gifford led NU with a career-high 86 tackles a year ago. 6-1 200 Fr. No. 13 Malcolm Hartzog Jr. 5-9 180 Jr. No. 15 Roger Gradney 6-0 205 Fr. No. 19 Taveon Thompson 6-3 215 Jr. No. 21 Dwight Bootle II 5-10 180 R-Fr. No. 23 Blye Hill 6-4 190 So. No. 24 Marques Buford Jr. 5-11 190 Jr. No. 25 Jeremiah Charles 6-0 170 R-Fr. No. 26 Koby Bretz 6-2 205 Jr. No. 29 Mario Buford 6-0 175 Fr. No. 31 Tommi Hill 6-0 205 Sr. No. 32 Rahmir Stewart 5-11 210 R-Fr. No. 35 D’Andre Barnes 6-0 195 R-Fr. No. 36 Blake Closman 5-9 195 Jr. No. 12 Rex Guthrie
No. 39 Derek Branch
5-11 195 Jr.
No. 18 Princewill Umanmielen
6-5
245
So.
No. 40 Brice Turner
6-1 185 R-Fr.
No. 22 Maverick Noonan
6-4
240
R-Fr.
THE STUNTMEN Nebraska returns a veteran secondary with top-level depth at safety, where Marques Bu- ford and DeShon Singleton are set for major roles. Tommi Hill projects as one of the Big Ten’s best cornerback and Malcolm Hartzog returns as a third-year starter. 5-10 175 Fr. No. 44 Syncere Safeeullah 6-3 180 R-Fr. No. 45 Mason Jones 5-11 200 R-Fr. No. 85 Jaidyn Doss 6-0 195 R-Fr. No. TBD Caleb Benning 5-11 200 Fr. No. TBD Donovan Jones 6-1 195 Fr. No. TBD Braylen Prude 6-4 200 Fr. No. TBD Amare Sanders 6-1 175 Fr. No. TBD Preston Okafor 6-2 180 Fr. No. TBD Kahmir Prescott 6-1 200 Fr. No. TBD Thomas D’Onofrio 6-1 185 Fr. No. 41 Larry Tarver Jr.
No. 33 Javin Wright
6-5
230
Sr.
No. 34 Gage Wager
5-10
190
R-Fr.
No. 42 Mikai Gbayor
6-2
230
Jr.
No. 43 Michael Booker III
6-1
225
Jr.
No. 46 Grant Buda
6-0
225
Jr.
No. 47 Gage Stenger
6-2
220
So.
No. 48 MJ Sherman
6-3
245
Sr.
No. 49 Danny Pasko
6-1
225
R-Fr.
No. 50 Noah Bustard
6-1
225
R-Fr.
No. 51 Vincent Shavers Jr.
6-1
225
Fr.
No. 52 Dylan Rogers
6-3
240
R-Fr.
No. 53 Jacob Bower
6-1
220
R-Fr.
No. 56 Stefon Thompson
6-1
240
Jr.
No. 81 Ismael Smith Flores
6-4
245
R-Fr.
No. TBD Derek Wacker
6-1
220
Fr.
No. TBD Ethan Duda
6-5
230
Fr.
No. TBD Vincent Genatone
6-0
225
So.
KENNETH FERRIERA JOURNAL STAR
JUSTIN WAN , JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO
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