Roger Gradney, Texas 4-star athlete, commits to Nebraska Cornhuskers

That didn't take long.

Less than 24 hours after receiving a scholarship offer from the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Rice Consolidated (Texas) four-star athlete Roger Gradney committed to Matt Rhule's program.

"I love the coaching staff and the energy," he said. "They bring a positive energy. the coaches I've talked to had the most energy of any staff I've talked to. They want to develop me as a player and make sure I'm successful." 

The versatile 6-foot-1, 190-pound athlete, who expects to play cornerback, safety and return kicks at the collegiate level, is rated the nation's No. 155 overall prospect and No. 19 athlete. 

With that kind of profile, Gradney was likely to accrue several more others over the winter and spring months.

But the Nebraska offer was enough to immediately shut down his recruitment. 

"Matt Rhule is a good coach," Gradney said. "He coached the Carolina Panthers. They have a lot of coaches that have worked int he NFL, so I'm going to get a lot of exposure from that. If I do everything the right way, I know I'll be developed.' 

Gradney will visit Nebraska next month to see Lincoln for the first time.

He is the first 2024 pledge for the Cornhuskers. 

Scouting report (via 247Sports)

".... Experienced at several positions across all three phases. Scored touchdowns four different ways as a sophomore. Pure football player with a good feel for the game, regardless of alignment. ..Shows impressive open-field acceleration and above average top-end speed on the field. Sometimes arrives high, but a better tackler than numbers suggest. ...Knows how to turn and locate in coverage. Broad pursuit range fostered by obvious functional athleticism. Personnel chameleon for high school team who could potentially provide similar versatility at the next level. ...Excellent multi-sport context provides verified athleticism. Ran sophomore 100-meter times of 10.88 and 10.95 and also produced strong 200-meter, discus, and triple jump data. ...On-tape context is strong, but would like to see more production in the counting stats categories. Will need technical development at eventual long-term positional home." 

Junior season highlights