Safeties First:  Nebraska looking for depth

By Brandon Cavanaugh  |   Thursday, March 23, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

Nebraska Cornhuskers
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The loss of the Daniel Bullocks to graduation stirs up some serious questions regarding the overall depth at the safety position. The good news, however, is that while there may be a shortage of seasoned veterans, there is no absence of general talen - especially when you look at the Nebraska Cornhuskers' 2006 recruiting class.

The safety position should receive a shot in the arm with the addition of four talented youngsters in this most recent recruiting class. Major Culbert, Ricky Thenarse, Corey Young and Anthony West - all members of the '06 class - are all looking to make their mark at safety.

Culbert - a 5-11, 187-pound athlete/running back from Harbor City, California's Narbonne High School - provides Nebraska with a level of athleticism that is ideal for the position. While smaller in stature than the ideal safety, Culbert's unique blend of speed, toughness and acceleration will prove to be an equalizer. His closing speed will likely make up for his slight lack of height.

Thenarse - a 6-0, 175-pound athlete from Los Angeles, California's Jordan High School - also resembles Culbert. Taking advantage of not only his running back skills, but also his work as a receiver for Jordan High, Ricky's knowledge of these two positions will aid him in determining routes and picking up running lanes as his speed adjusts to that of Division 1-A football. A reported 4.48 40-yard dash will not hurt, either.

Young - a 6-0, 194-pound running back/return specialist from Omaha, Nebraska's Millard North High School - possesses perhaps the most potential for delivering a punishing style of play. During his senior season, Young tallied over 1,600 yards rushing while scoring 22 touchdowns. He also averaged 19.2 yards per kick return and 16.6 yards per punt return. Corey provides a deceptively fast package in a rather stout frame.

West - a 6-0, 195-pound athlete from San Diego, California's Point Loma High School - comes in boasting the same speed seen in the previous three candidates. Anthony was recruited by Nebraska as an "athlete", but other schools such as Texas Tech and California had him penciled in specifically for the safety position. A blend of speed and physicality help Anthony greatly.

One final note: While Corey Young may have a slight edge in terms of natural ability, he is somewhat hampered by a torn ACL suffered mid-season, resulting in a reconstruction of his knee. The key factor that will determine Young's ability to contribute immediately will be any loss of speed or power due to the injury.
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