College Football

Huskers sign 21 players, find riches in California DBs, QB

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 2:10 a.m. ET

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LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) Nebraska coach Mike Riley's acumen for recruiting the West Coast appears to have paid off. He and his staff signed four Californians on Wednesday, with three of them rated four-star prospects.

The most talked-out recruit among the fans and media is quarterback Patrick O'Brien of San Juan Capistrano, California. O'Brien, who enrolled in January, looks like a perfect fit for Riley's pro-style offense.

The 21 signees come from 14 states, with only two from Nebraska.

Other things to know:

Top 25 Class: Yes.

Best in class: Lamar Jackson, CB, Elk Grove, California. He's a top-100 national recruit and Nebraska's highest-rated West Coast signee in more than a decade. With Jackson and safety Marquel Dismuke of Calabasas, California, among the four defensive backs in the fold, the Cornhuskers met their needs in the secondary.

Best of the rest: John Raridon, OL, West Des Moines, Iowa. The 6-4, 271-pound guard is the top offensive line recruit and the son of former Nebraska offensive tackle Scott Raridon.

Late addition: Matt Farniok, OT, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Bo Pelini staff started pursuing the 6-foot-5, 319-pounder two years ago and Riley's staff picked up the chase before landing his commitment a week ago.

One that got away: Nebraska thought it had locked up four-star receiver Desmond Fitzpatrick of Waterford, Michigan. That was before Fitzpatrick took a visit to Louisville. He announced he would become a Cardinal on Tuesday. The Huskers are left with two receivers in the class.

How they'll fit in: All eyes will be on O'Brien in spring practice. It would be premature to say he could challenge incumbent Tommy Armstrong, but he's well-positioned to be the No. 2 QB come fall. Raridon and Farniok beef up the offensive line, and Jackson and Dismuke could play right away.

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For the full list: http://www.huskers.com

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