Elite Nebraska football O-line target projected elsewhere

This one hurts to write, but Nebraska football offensive line recruiting target, Douglas Utu, has received an expert projection from Steve Wiltfong of On3.com to land with the Tennessee Volunteers.

I always say that projections or crystal balls aren’t commitments. But Steve Wiltfong rarely misses. Things do change and he will sometimes flip his picks, but it feels like Utu is heading South which would be a major disappointment for Nebraska football in the 2025 class.

Utu is 6-foot-5, 300 pounds, and is out of Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, which just happens to be one of the top football factories in the country. The Huskers actually hosted a couple of offensive linemen and there was hope they would be able to land Utu, who said positive things following his visit.

It felt like Michgan and Nebraska were the leaders but Tennessee has swooped in and grabbed the lead following an official visit this weekend. Utu is ranked 53rd overall according to the On3 Industry rankings and the On3 prediction machine now gives the Vols an 82-percent chance to land Utu’s commitment.

There aren’t any crystal ball projections yet.

What it means for Nebraska football

The Huskers have been trending with some other O-line targets such as three-star tackle Brian Tapu. Maybe the crystal balls for him should have been a sign of where things stood with Utu.

Shawn Hammerbeck is another tackle target on the board for Nebraska. Some recruiting services have Utu as an interior offensive lineman, but either way, he would have been an elite addition.

Utu was also one of Nebraska’s last best chances to land a blue-chip offensive lineman in the 2025 class and if he does go to Tennessee, it will be hard to hide the disappointment.

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