The Nebraska football team has officially entered the final push for the early signing period of the 2019 recruiting cycle. For the most part, the Huskers are having good luck. They've got both Wandale Robinson and Jamin Graham in the fold in the last week. They've also seen themselves move up the ranks in the recruiting classes to the point where the Cornhuskers are higher than they've been in years. Not everything has been good though. There has been one decommit and one player is transferring. Even when it's not an obvious loss, there are small jabs here and there.
One of those is Dru Mathis getting an offer from UCLA.
Nebraska football, old and new competition
Dru Mathis is one of those players the Huskers are looking at to fix the defense as quickly as possible. The JUCO out of Moorpark College got to see what Lincoln had to offer on November 17 and liked what Memorial Stadium had to offer. At the same time, 247Sports believes the Baylor Bears might be the team to beat when it comes to reeling the prospect in. That was bad enough news for Scott Frost and company. The worse news might have been that UCLA has now offered. Mathis responded to the official offer from Chip Kelly's squad that saying that he was finally feeling the love "from Cali."
It's possible that Dru Mathis is simply pointing out that he hadn't really gotten much attention from his home state.
The linebacker is from Ventura, California and played his high school ball for Buena High. He also originally headed to San Diego State before ending up at Moorpark C.C. Before the Bruins came calling, the only team that had offered in the current recruiting cycle that was anywhere close to his hometown was UNLV. It could be very bad news for the Nebraska football team that a school from California is finally showing some interest.
Getting an infusion of talent from Dru Mathis
Finally feel the love from Cali. Blessed to receive an offer from UCLA! @ChipKellyUCLA @CoachJDiazMC @CoachStuMC @eddymcgilvra90 🐻🐻 pic.twitter.com/MjQLi0TnCD
— Reece Dru Mathis the Vth (@DruMathis22) December 7, 2018
One of the big selling points for the two teams the talented linebacker has as his leaders is that they are both offering the chance to play for an FBS Power 5 team right away.
Neither Baylor nor the Huskers have a talent level that will keep Mathis off the field if he is practicing well once he arrives on campus.
UCLA offers the same possibility of helping a rebuild while also playing for a team that has had some decent success in the recent past. The big question, just eight days out from the early signing period is whether the Nebraska football team has time on its side. Husker fans are likely hoping the offer from UCLA is too little, too late for Dru Mathis.