Nebraska football has underwhelmed in recent seasons, and Matt Rhule’s team is far from the first team fans will think of when asked who they expect to see in the College Football Playoff this winter. Yet, the Huskers could surprise the country and rise to the top of the college football world if a few things go their way. To do so, though, they’ll need a star playmaker to step up on offense and catch passes from quarterback Dylan Raiola.
Let’s take a closer look at the state of the Nebraska football team and one wide receiver who could emerge as a top pass-catching threat.
Jahmal Banks will be the team’s go-to wide receiver
Jahmal Banks is a talented player who transferred from Wake Forest to team up with Raiola and increase his NFL draft stock by playing a critical role in big games. Banks is talented, but he didn’t have anywhere near the level of support around him at Wake Forest that he needed to excel. Playing with Raiola should unlock untapped upside for Banks. It wouldn’t be shocking to see him emerge as one of the top 10 to 15 wide receivers in the nation by the end of the year.
Banks is a physical threat on all types of routes
Banks is a physical receiver who is at his best bullying defenders to make contested catches. He’s somebody who routinely bails out his quarterback by coming down with a 50-50 pass. He also knows how to use his size and strength as leverage to get inside of the defender on slant routes, establishing a favorable position to secure the reception.
In many ways, he’s similar to an elite interior rebounder on a basketball team. Banks will use his body as a shield to prevent a defender from having an opportunity to break up the pass or come away with an interception.
Banks also knows how to use his body to battle defenders and come away with jump balls deep down the field. Because of this skillset, Banks can create chunk plays
Banks is a sure-handed receiver and the ultimate bailout weapon
Because of his ability to consistently come down with 50-50 passes, Banks is an elite bailout weapon and a quarterback's best friend. When the play breaks down, whoever is under center can throw the ball up to Banks and trust that he will come down with the reception more often than not.
His strength and physicality serve another purpose, though, by making it less likely for interceptions to occur. Because of his ability to box out and get his hands on the ball, Banks is adept at flipping the script and playing defense when necessary. This makes it less of a risk for the quarterback to take a chance and throw the ball up for Banks.
In the event of an errant pass, Banks’ long arms, physicality, and instincs allow him to deflect the ball and prevent the cornerback from making an interception. Defensive backs are taught to become the receiver in situations where they have an equal opportunity of coming away with the catch. Most receivers struggle to play defense in these situations, but the point they're missing is that preventing an interception is nearly as important as making the reception yourself.
Another skill Banks has that is highly valued is he has reliable hands. He very rarely drops a pass, even when he's targeted in traffic with defensive backs hitting him and attempting to knock the ball out. It's critical for a receiver to earn their quarterback's trust early, and Banks will do that because of his reliability as a pass catcher.
Nebraska football has an elite defense
Nebraska isn’t expected to be one of the best teams in the country this year, but there’s certainly a chance that they could surprise a lot of people. If the Huskers do end up making waves, it will be in large part because of their defense. The defensive side of the ball is the only sure thing that Nebraska can count on. It's been one of the better units in the country in recent years, and the unit has experienced, talented and tenacious defenders all over the field.
The challenge for the Nebraska football team will be for their offense to match the defense. If the offense is able to hold up its end of the deal, this team could be elite. In the past, though, Nebraska’s offense has been virtually nonexistent.
Banks will quickly fix that by forming a dynamic duo with the team's freshman quarterback that will put defensive coordinators in a very difficult position. If they double-team Banks, other players will have more breathing room to step up. That will also pull defenders out of the box, giving the running game more room to breathe.
If they charge one defender with the responsibility of slowing Banks down, though, he could do serious damage. Due to his physical playstyle, it requires two defenders to truly slow him down. One player has to be able to mirror Banks step for step, with the other a more physical player to keep an eye on the ball and knock it loose.
Nebraska's passing game was miserable last season
In particular, the passing game has been miserable. Last season, Nebraska struggled to move the ball through the air while rotating through multiple starting quarterbacks in an attempt to find anything that worked.
With the addition of an ultra-talented freshman, the quarterback situation should be much improved. The question becomes, will there be enough talent around freshman wunderkind Dylan Raiola for the offense to take a major leap? If the passing game can even become average, the Nebraska football team could potentially find itself in contention for the final spot in this year’s expanded college football playoff field.
Banks will pair well with the team's star freshman quarterback
Dylan Raiola could be a generational talent at the most important position on the football field. At just 19 years old, Raiola has drawn lofty comparisons. He’s been compared to Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes because of his ability to throw off-platform with elite accuracy, to improve when they play breaks down, and his impressive arm strength.
Raiola has wowed fans and coaches alike with the ability to throw from numerous arm angles. Just like Mahomes, he has the ability to stretch defenses in unpredictable ways. Raiola has the uncanny ability to throw across his body on the run or sling the ball to the opposite side of the field with just his pure arm strength.
Defenses are not used to having to cover so much ground, which allows Raiola to put incredible stress on opposing units.
As talented as Nebraska football's star freshman is, though, he can’t do it all by himself. Every player needs support, and even potential superstars such as the kid who’s been compared to Mahomes are no exception. Banks will be a great partner for Raiola and will help the quarterback excel.
The offense needs leadership
Another thing that the Huskers need is reliable leadership. Raiola is incredibly talented and, while he’ll be expected to display some leadership as the quarterback, Matt Rhule can’t forget that he is still a true freshman.
The Huskers will need a veteran player to step up and assume a leadership role. This is where Jahmal Banks will play a critical role right from the beginning of his tenure in Nebraska. Even though he’s a transfer who is new to Nebraska’s locker room, Banks still has plenty of experience and will provide veteran leadership and a steady presence from day one.
Nebraska was very thin at the wide receiver position last year, and they have very few players with meaningful experience. The few that do also need to focus on continuing to improve their own play before they can develop into true leaders who guide others. Banks would be able to solidify the position group and he can serve a valuable role as a mentor for the younger players. This will be almost as important as anything that he does on the football field.
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