Nebraska football may have found a diamond in the rough

Nebraska football head coach Matt Rhule knows as well as anyone, that good football players come from all over the place.

It doesn’t matter if you have a scholarship or if you were ranked as a blue-chip recruit. Those things matter but the football field is a true meritocracy. The cream rises to the top and on that note, it feels like Rhule and his staff may have uncovered another diamond in the rough.

James Williams certainly qualified as one in 2023. The Huskers discovered him at a post-grad camp and now, he looks like one of the Huskers’ best pass rushers.

That’s probably not something Nebraska fans had on their Bingo card when Williams committed. Keona Davis, a 2024 signee of the Huskers is giving me similar vibes.

Keep an eye on Nebraska football d-lineman Keona Davis

At 6-foot-5, nearly 270 pounds, Davis has the size to contribute and if you saw him at the Big Red Preview on Saturday, he looked every bit of 270. You don’t want to overreact, but Davis looks like a guy who could work his way on the field sooner rather than later.

At one time, he was a Washington commitment. He also had offers in high school from Michigan State, UCLA, Arizona, and Colorado. As a senior, from Tuscon, Arizona he registered 60 total tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, and eight sacks.

Stats depend on competition, but so far, Davis has looked the part. There have been rumblings about his impact and on Tuesday, sophomore defensive end Cameron Lenhardt talked up Davis as a future contributor and called him a “great talent” while also praising his versatility.

Nebraska only signed three defensive ends/EDGE players as part of their scholarship recruits in the 2024 class, but if Davis can live up to the early buzz he created, that will help fill the void.

Even if the freshman isn’t ready to play this season, it seems like the Huskers found another quality piece for the future, which is a credit to Rhule and his philosophy of searching under every rock to find talent.

For More Nebraska content, follow us on Twitter, like our Facebook Page, and Subscribe to the Husker Big Red YouTube Channel. You can also find our podcast on Apple or Spotify.