Nebraska Cornhuskers News

Home

Quizzes

Newsletter

Nebraska Football: Vincent Shavers Jr. impressing teammates

Originally posted on Husker Big Red | By Danny Jaillet | Last updated 4/23/24

Much has been made of the 2024 Nebraska football recruiting class. Several freshmen have been able to make an impact over the last couple weeks, and teammates are taking notice. Linebacker Vincent Shavers Jr. is one of those guys.

Shavers was a relatively late addition to the roster all things considered. He visited Nebraska the week before early signing day, following a decommitment from Miami on December 15. He took an official visit to Nebraska that same day, and was offered three days later.

Shavers made things official on December 20, signing his letter of intent and committing that same day.

Shavers comes to Nebraska following a decorated high school career at both Miami Central and Monsigor Pace. He tallied 46 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and seven sacks as a senior last year.

He is a unique linebacker in the sense that he can rush the passer, as well as play off the edge. His versatility is something that should be able to become a major part of this defense moving forward. His speed and ability to rush the passer are also assets of his.

In the meantime, he is impressing his teammates with his efforts over the course of spring practice. Running back Emmett Johnson spoke to the media on Tuesday and listed Shavers among the teammates who have stuck out to him over the course of these practices.

Emmet Johnson says Vincent Shavers and Blye Hill have been the two defensive players who have stuck out to him the most #GBR

— Sidelines – Nebraska (@SSN_Nebraska) April 23, 2024

A good sign for Nebraska football

It certainly means something when a teammate notices your efforts. It’s also a good sign for the Nebraska football linebacker room. Consider the number of linebackers who are seniors this year. Javin Wright, John Bullock, and MJ Sherman will all be seniors this coming fall. That will certainly leave spots open for others to make an impact.

Shavers has time to develop, so he doesn’t need to immediately replace those departures. Nevertheless, it’s important to keep positional rooms flowing. Perhaps more than keeping the rooms flowing, it’s important for development. This coaching staff has shown that they are able to develop players. We saw that on the defensive side football last year, with several freshmen making an impact early.

Shavers had a chance to be a key piece of the defensive future. His skill set, combined with his athleticism make him a good fit for this defensive scheme. It will be interesting to see what type of playing time he gets this year, with the linebacker room having a veteran presence.

It remains to be seen how he will continue to develop. The only guarantee here is that will not be the last time you hear his name. He could end up being one of the more underrated signings of this recruiting class.

This article first appeared on Husker Big Red and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: