5 Nebraska football players with rising stock this fall

Nebraska football has been taking part in fall camp for a few weeks now and we are starting to get a picture of what the 2024 team is going to look like.

To be sure, a lot will change between now and November. But the roster is taking shape, along with the two-deep. Some players are turning heads and earning more opportunities. Even some freshman have worked their way into the conversation for playing time on a roster filled with veterans.

It’s been an interesting fall camp for Nebraska football and here are five Huskers with rising stock.

Keona Davis, DL

Keona Davis has come out of nowhere to be a contributor as a freshman on the defensive line. That’s a hard position to contribute and you expect even less from a former walk-on, but walk-ons in this program aren’t the same as others.

Davis had Power-4 scholarship offers. He’s also added 20 pounds of muscle (it looks like) and is now 270 pounds. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets some snaps this season and burns his redshirt.

The talk about him has been hard to believe at times and I’m just excited to see what he does on the field.

Rahmir Johnson, RB

If Nebraska football can get Rahmir Johnson to produce like he did in 2021, before he got hurt, that would be huge for the Huskers. Johnson had 172 all-purpose yards against Michigan and more than 100 against Michigan State. He also rushed for over 80 yards and scored two touchdowns against Minnesota.

Johnson started seven games that season. He was underutilized in the 2022 season and got hurt last year early in the year. EJ Barthel has said positive things about Johnson this fall and it feels like he’s in contention to be the starter.

I’m guessing Emmett Johnson starts the first day but Gabe Ervin will have a role this season, if he’s healthy and Johnson can stay healthy, we might finally see him realize his full potential.

James Williams, DL

The redshirt sophomore, James Williams, has been having one hell of a camp. He’s 6-foot-6 and probably closer to 270 pounds than 250.

Williams had two sacks in four games last season. In 2024, with Williams playing on the EDGE and even defensive tackle in some pass-rush situations, he could lead the team in sacks.

Jimari Butler, Cameron Lenhardt, and maybe even Nash Hutmacher might have something to say about that, but Williams should at least double his sack total, based on how camp has gone for the second-year Husker.

DeShon Singleton, DB

Singleton was a starter for Nebraska football last season before an injury ended his 2023 campaign. But he finally got back to 100 percent and has played like a starter in fall camp.

Tony White said earlier this week that Singleton was “flying around” and “making plays.” It took a while for the knee to get right but Singleton, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound senior, seems poised for a big season.

Singleton looked like a potential draft pick last season before the injury and based on what he’s done so far in fall camp, it feels like he’ll be a starter and hopefully, an impact player for the Huskers in 2024.

Carter Nelson, WR

The top-100 freshman was at a slight disadvantage in terms of playing early since he didn’t enroll early. However, it hasn’t slowed Carter Nelson down.

Many predicted that Nelson would play tight end, but those predictions were incorrect. Nelson has started as a wide receiver and has been doing a great job so far.

Not only have cornerbacks struggled to cover the 6-foot-5 tight end, but Nelson has also been “dominant” as a blocker which should get him on the field even earlier.

Like Davis and Dylan Raiola, Nelson has been a standout from day one. He’s going to play this season. The only question is how much, but it will be enough that he won’t redshirt.

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