Nebraska Football Player Power Rankings: Week Three – North Dakota

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Welcome to the most recent edition of my Nebraska Football player power rankings. As I have said before, this list will be completely subjective in several ways and may not follow a logical path. Or maybe it will.

This power ranking list will be a combination of the most important, most impactful, a recent contribution, waiting in the wings, rumors of greatness, rumors of not-so-great, players that made one great play to change a game (for better or worse) or any other type of metric that I think should go with this subjective list.

So without further ado, here is my most recent definitive and completely subjective Nebraska Football Player Power Ranking.

Here are links to prior Nebraska Football Player Power Rankings.

Start of Fall Camp
Halfway through Fall Camp
Week One: Ohio
Week Two: Bowling Green

10. Owen Chambliss – Linebacker

Prior Ranking: 7th

Do you know who looked much improved in the game against Bowling Green compared to his game against Ohio? Dexter Foster.

The defense as a whole was flying to the ball much faster than the week before and there were two reasons for that fact. First, Matt Rhule said that Ohio’s zone read run game forces defenses to play slower because everybody has a responsibility. It is a lot like going against Tom Osborne’s triple option. Everybody has a job and until they know their job is done then they can’t fly to the ball like everybody would like.

The second reason is Owen Chambliss. Matt Rhule didn’t want to pump up Chambliss too much but it is clear that the defense gains a lot of confidence when Chambliss is out there. I do not believe he played in the second half (as he is nursing a hamstring injury and Nebraska was up 35-0), but he still impressed. I personally hope that he can get healthy enough to on put some real good tape for NFL scouts. It’s hard to complain about 6’3” 240 pounds at linebacker.

I lowered him because so many players are playing real well (against inferior competition) and he just hasn’t played as much.

9. Jamal Rule – Running Back

Prior Ranking: 9th

Eight carries for 88 yards and a touchdown.

Pretty good.

Jamal Rule’s time on these power rankings might be done after this week. Not because he isn’t worthy of it (not that he cares or that these power rankings deserve it) but that Nebraska might have three talented running backs. I cannot just pick one.

Mekhi Nelson played 23 snaps. Isaiah Mozee played 19. Jamal Rule played 13.

Regardless, Nebraska found a gamer.

8. Anthony Colandrea – Quarterback

Prior Ranking: 8th

I’m keeping him here but I have not been as excited about a quarterback at Nebraska in a long time as I am to watch Colandrea against the Big Ten this season. I’m not excited because I think he’s going to win the Heisman (but if you remember Adrian Martinez was a Top 5 Heisman candidate at one point), but he raises the ceiling so much for the Huskers if he can simply stay healthy.

It is obvious that they have limited called designed runs at that point for Colandrea. There are a lot of bullets in that gun and I think Dana Holgorsen is giving opposing defensive coaches just enough to think about and also holding those calls back for when Nebraska needs them in Big Ten play.

With that said, he has played real well and I agree with Urban Meyer when he said Nebraska upgraded at the quarterback position. Maybe it is just me but watch these throws by Colandrea and then watch the same throws from the prior year by Raiola. I think we have definitely upgraded.

With that said, the real grade will come against the Big Ten.

7. Kwazi Gilmer – Wide Receiver

Prior Ranking: Unranked

We have heard about the connection between Anthony Colandrea and Kwazi Gilmer and we continue to see it through two games. It is clear that Colandrea likes Gilmer and Jacory Barney. Of the 56 passes thrown this season by Colandrea, 34 of those passes have gone to either Gilmer or Barney.

Against Ohio, Gilmer had 10 targets with five catches. Against Bowling Green it was six catches on six targets for Gilmer.

The catch that I posted below was an insane catch.

If they can protect Colandrea during Big Ten play then I think the combination of Gilmer, Barney and Nyziah Hunter (only two catches through two games) will be a tough cover for teams.

6. Luke Lindenmeyer – Tight End

Prior Ranking: 6th

Luke Lindenmeyer is currently tied for third on the team in receptions (4) but it continues to be his blocking that is taking notice. The week prior he had 16 knockdowns. Against Bowling Green I saw several but I would love to hear how many he had. He is clearly a motivated blocker.

A lot of the targets from Colandrea have gone to Barney and Gilmer and I think it is just a matter of time that when teams do more to take those two away that players like Lindenmeyer are going to get their fair share of targets.

5. Janiran Bonner – Swiss Army Knife

Prior Ranking: 4th

Bonner continues to do the dirty work. He graded out the highest, per PFF, among the tight ends. I think it is a combination of Bonner and Lindenmeyer (among others) which have instilled a physical type of running game for this Nebraska team.

He only played 15 snaps against Bowling Green but I am hoping that is because they want to get more snaps to Carter Nelson in a blowout game. Hopefully there are no injury concerns.

4. Andrew Marshall – Cornerback

Prior Ranking: 5th

On the opening snap of the game Bowling Green went after Andrew Marshall with a long pass. Marshall knocked it away and Bowling Green didn’t test him for the rest of the game.

There is not a lot to say except teams aren’t throwing at Marshall.

Yet.

I expect Maryland to be a big test with a real good quarterback. And we all know that Ohio State brings in the best wide receiver in the country so that should be a great test as well. But at this point Marshall is looking better than advertised and he was well advertised.

3. Jacory Barney Jr. – Wide Receiver

Prior Ranking: 3rd

Jacory Barney is turning into the wide receiver we thought we saw flashes of in the past couple of seasons. He is currently leading the team with 13 catches and 175 yards.

I am still waiting for him to break a big punt return in a real big moment.

The continued untimely penalties from Barney are not as big of a concern for me as they apparently are to others. Now if he is doing it during Big Ten play then there needs to be some hard conversations with him. He is too talented to keep off the field and he is too important to Nebraska that they need him on offense.

2. Jahsear Whittington – Defensive Lineman

Prior Ranking: 2nd

Nebraska went back to that jumbo package against Bowling Green with Jahsear Whittington and Anthony Jones leading the way. It is the exact same play that we saw against Ohio. We all know that Dana Holgorsen has a counter or two sitting in his pocket when teams make adjustments to try to stop it.

He is still sitting and credited with only half a sack and only four tackles while playing 31 snaps on the defensive line against Bowling Green. That is a concern but his run defense grade was the highest on the defensive line so that says something about his contributions.

Unfortunately he is going to have to start producing going forward to keep him on this list. Puking and the jumbo package can only take you so far.

1. Justin Evans – Center

Prior Ranking: 1st

Matt Rhule, this week, again volunteered how important Justin Evans is to this team in terms of play but also in terms of his leadership. He said Evans is one of the best leaders he has ever been around.

He continued to have the highest grade on the offensive line and it was not particularly close this past week.

His unit as a whole is putting in the work. Through two games, Nebraska has 512 rushing yards and averaging 6.7 yards per rush. As per the post below, Nebraska has the third and fourth ranked running backs in the country in terms of yards per touch.

Previous Ranking

10. Archie Wilson and Kyle Cunanan – Punter and Place Kicker
9. Jamal Rule – Running Back
8. Anthony Colandrea – Quarterback
7. Owen Chambliss — Linebacker
6. Luke Lindenmeyer – Tight End
5. Andrew Marshall – Cornerback
4. Janiran Bonner – Swiss Army Knife
3. Jacory Barney Jr. – Wide Receiver
2. Jahsear Whittington – Defensive Lineman
1. Justin Evans – Center

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