Grading Nebraska's highest-ranked signees in the Riley era

Mike Riley didn’t have much time to recruit at Nebraska, signing only three classes including the class of 2015, which he had only two months to put together. But the team’s poor play on the field doomed Riley and now there are plenty of questions about how well recruited while at the helm of the program. Today we take a look at the two highest-ranked players Riley signed in each class while with the Huskers. Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell will weigh in on each prospect and assign a letter grade for their time with the Huskers as well as examine their potential to live up to their rankings in the future.

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As a recruit: Lee made an early name for himself as a recruit on the camp circuit and the Huskers legacy tried to keep an open mind early in the recruiting process but Nebraska led wire-to-wire. Lee committed to then-coach Bo Pelini in Feb. 2014 and even after Pelini was replaced by Riley, he stuck with the Huskers.

As a Cornhusker: Lee redshirted his first year on campus in 2015 and worked his way into the rotation, primarily has a special teams player in 2016. This past season saw the opportunity for playing time increase and Lee seized his opportunity, starting the season-opener against Arkansas State and becoming a regular in the defense and finishing the year with six starts in nine appearances. Lee, who had 30 total tackles in 2017, will likely be a key part of the defense in 2018.

The Grade: C+

Farrell’s take: Lee hasn’t impacted as early as expected but hasn’t been horrible or a bust either. He will probably be a huge key for next season but an earlier impact was expected based upon his skill level.

As a recruit: Another player who emerged early in the process thanks to several impressive showings on the camp circuit, Anderson jumped on the chance to commit to the Huskers following a junior day visit in Feb. 2014. A close friend of Lee’s, Anderson’s recruitment followed a very similar path. After Pelini was fired, Anderson considered looking around, but Riley eased any concerns during an in-home visit shortly after his hiring.

As a Cornhusker: Anderson redshirted his first year on campus and playing sparingly as a redshirt freshman in 2016, appearing in three games. He’s saw his role increase more in 2017, but still worked primarily as backup, appearing in 11 games. In his two seasons on the field he’s totaled three tackles.

The Grade: D

Farrell’s take: Anderson hasn’t emerged as an impact guy despite his high ranking and some big expectations. He hasn’t panned out yet and it’s unclear how important he will be to the future of the defense.

As a recruit: The second-highest ranked recruit signed during the Riley era, Jackson had his share of suitors from coast-to-coast during his recruitment. His list of finalists including Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, Michigan and Nebraska and he officially visited all five schools during the fall of 2015. He kept them all guessing until Signing Day 2016, when he officially pledged to the Huskers.

As a Cornhusker: Despite being ranked as the nation’s No. 1 safety, Jackson has made a name for himself as a cornerback in Lincoln. His first year on campus he played primarily as a backup, but did appear in all 13 games. 2017 saw Jackson step into the starting line up full-time, where he appeared and started in every contest. He finished the year with 38 total tackles and three pass breakups.

The Grade: B

Farrell’s take: Jackson was hyped quite a bit as the nation’s top safety but his transition to cornerback hasn’t been bad at all and he has the potential to be a star if he continues to develop. I gave him a B because he hasn’t lived up to the hype yet but he’s not below that because his potential remains excellent.

As a recruit: A Husker legacy whose father Scott was also a member of the football team during his college years, it wasn’t a matter of if Raridon would commit to the Huskers, but when. After picking up an offer during his junior year he did exactly that, pledging to Pelini in Sept. 2014. Even through a coaching change, Raridon never truly wavered on his pledge.

As a Cornhusker: Raridon redshirted his first year on campus and spent the 2017 season as a reserve. During the first part of his career, Raridon has been a backup at both center and guard and figures to have the opportunity to see more playing time during the second half of his career in Lincoln.

The Grade: C

Farrell’s take: Offensive linemen take longer to impact and his versatility is impressive, but I’m still waiting for him to emerge because he had so much talent out of high school. This grade could soar in a year or two but right now he’s behind the curve.

As a recruit: One of the most explosive playmakers in the 2017 class, Lindsey’s recruitment was full of twists and turns. After collecting offers from many of the country’s best programs, he committed to Ohio State just prior to the start of his senior season. But less than a month before Signing Day, Lindsey backed off his commitment to the Buckeyes and committed to Nebraska just a few days later. Lindsey as the highest-ranked commitment of the Riley era.

As a Cornhusker: Lindsey worked his way into the lineup as a true freshman this season, appearing in all 12 games while starting one. He didn’t put up gaudy numbers, finishing with just 76 receiving yards and 124 kick return yards. But with Nebraska likely to make a splashy offensive hire, his role could increase quite a bit in 2018.

The Grade: B

Farrell’s take: I give him a B because it’s so early and he can become a star here. I am surprised he hasn’t impacted earlier or been a bigger part of the offense but as a speedy slot receiver, his best days are ahead of him for sure.

As a recruit: It’s not too often players from Delaware end up at Nebraska but that’s exactly what the state’s top player did earlier this year. Roberts collected offers from all over the country as an underclassman, but a spring visit to Lincoln captured his heart and he committed shortly thereafter in the spring of 2016 and never wavered on his pledge.

As a Cornhusker: In his first year on campus Roberts made his way onto the field quite a bit in 2017, albeit as a reserve a special teams player. He appeared in every game this season and finished the season with four total tackles.

The Grade: B+

Farrell’s take: The results this season haven’t been there but the potential has been shown and most feel he is a star in the making. He has the mentality and skill to be a superstar on the Nebraska defense so despite a lack of production and playing time this year, I think he deserves a good grade.

Note: Class of 2017 signee Elijah Blades (No. 87 overall) was excluded from the list as he elected to attend junior college rather than take an academic redshirt at Nebraska.