The Nebraska football team is coming off a successful December signing day. Now the coaching staff is turning almost all of its full attention to the 2021 recruiting class.

Among the team's top targets in the upcoming class is a defensive end out of North Carolina known as Keeshawn Silver. The problem for the Cornhuskers is that Silver is the top target for quite a few of the best schools in the country.

Nebraska attempts to woo North Carolina prospect

The Huskers are looking to shore up their defensive front and have used the 2020 class to take steps in that direction.

Now Nebraska is taking the next steps by going after some of the best defenders in the 2021 class.

Silver is considered among those by recruiting analysts despite the fact that he's only rating out as a 3-star prospect at the moment. Despite that relatively low ranking, including being just the 351st ranked player in the class, he already has 21 total offers.

Can Nebraska make the cut?

Silver has offers from some of the best schools in the country and has already started traveling to check those schools out. This weekend, he's staying close to home, as he pays a visit to North Carolina State. The Wolfpack are hoping to cash in on the player being from right around his home town though it appears they are going to have to fight off an in-state school or two if they want Keeshawn Silver to commit.

Earlier this week, he announced he will be checking out North Carolina on the weekend of the 25th. That visit will be interesting for no other reason than he'll be talking with at least one Tar Heel coach who was a member of the Nebraska football staff at the beginning of this year.

Outside of North Carolina and North Carolina State, Silver has garnered quite a bit of attention recently.

In January, the defensive end has gathered offers from schools that include Georgia and Florida State. It's unclear whether or not the Huskers are factoring into Silver's decision but it's clear Nebraska is hoping they can get the defender to also take a visit to Lincoln.

Nebraska waiting for February

While the question of whether or not Keeshawn Silver considers the Cornhuskers among his top teams won't be answered for a while, there is a date to aim for.

The defender has said he will be announcing the schools he's still looking the hardest at on his birthday.

That means Scott Frost and company are going to be circling February 21 in red. The good news is the prospect himself has said even that announcement won't be closing the door. He said he will still be open to all schools, but he will also be giving coaches a feeling for where they stand with him.

Not making the cut on these kinds of lists isn't the end, but making the cut almost always serves as a foot in the door. Most recently, the Nebraska football coaching staff has been able to turn those into commits.