Surprise: Four-star Jacory Barney picks Nebraska over Miami, Texas A&M
From 30 scholarship offers down to three, every cut Jacory Barney has made in his recruitment has drawn attention.
The move from three to one, revealed via a live announcement with Rivals on Instagram Saturday evening, will probably be remembered quite a bit more. The Miami (Fla.) Palmetto star chose Nebraska over finalists Miami and Texas A&M.
"I'll be headed to the University of Nebraska!" Barney told Rivals. "I just feel like that's the school I need to be at. The coaches, they've been seeing it in me, they've been seeing me as the blue-chip receiver. They expect me to come to their program, be an impact player as a freshman.
"They were just one of the first ones that believed in me for real. I just want to be their guy."
The speedy Barney, who many felt could stay home with Miami after the Hurricanes' late push for his services in June, took his official visit to Lincoln to kick off the month of June and the Huskers didn't look back.
It's when he knew where the next step would take place.
"I knew on the visit," Barney said. "I didn't expect it to be like that. You think of Nebraska and you expect cornfields out there, but it's not that. It's a little town and the people are crazy, they treat the players like celebrities. It's all about football there, too, and it's a safe place. I can just focus and get out of my own zone.
"I'm from Miami, so just being able to feel comfortable and walk around free...you know you're good and the coaches got you, too. It's a home away from home."
Of course the coaches at Nebraska played a major role throughout Barney's recruitment. From early prioritization, even compared to other finalists, Matt Rhule and Garret McGuire remained steady on two-way talent.
That battery found success at multiple stops, but sees Barney as it did a fellow Miami native back in their Baylor days.
"Coach McGuire, that's my guy," Barney said. "Being that he played football, he coached in the league, he's on the younger side and someone who can feel where I'm coming from. He's just got it. I believe he can develop me. I feel like coach McGuire's got it all and can prepare me for the league one day. He's already compared me to the receivers he's coached, like Tyquan Thornton when they were at Baylor.
"That's what I like, if that's how they want to use me. They're trying to get me the ball, and that's what I like. As long as I get the ball, I know I can make those plays when they need them."
With Rhule, who connected with Barney while on vacation late in the week, it was Barney who had to pitch his future head coach on an important factor for his collegiate decision.
"I want to play for him so I asked him if he thought he would still be here for my next four years and he said, 'definitely,'" Barney said. "He wants to coach me. That's a big thing, too, the head coach is believing in me, too."
As for what's next, the versatile Barney is eager to have the recruiting process behind him after a hectic month of June. He will now prep for his final run at Miami Palmetto while looking to help build a strong NU class of 2024, which has been red hot on the trail this summer with him becoming the 16th new commitment since June 8.
"Husker nation, we're coming!" he said. "We're bringing it back, we're trying to get that next title up there. With this staff, we can do it. With players like me, quarterbacks like Danny (Kaelin) dimes, we've got the pieces and we're gonna make it happen."