As Nebraska football begins to shift gears for recruiting, the 2023 class is now the main focus. One of the targets that really intrigues me is athlete Malachi Coleman.
Coleman is a four-star athlete and is the top athlete in the state of Nebraska per the 247Sports Composite Rankings.
He has several offers from teams in the Midwest. Kansas, Kansas State, Minnesota, and Nebraska have all extended him an offer. In addition, Maryland has reached out as well.
Here is where things get interesting for me. Barrett Ruud has been Coleman’s primary recruiter. However, Coleman can play both sides of the football, particularly at wide receiver. Measuring in at six-foot-five, 180 pounds, he would certainly be an imposing figure at the position. Who is now the wide receivers coach? Mickey Joseph.
A lot of the highlights that I watched on him were from the defensive side of football. I could see why Ruud would go after this kid. As soon as the ball was snapped, he bulldozed through offensive line he was a nightmare for the lines to contain. For that reason, he was an effective straight pass-rusher as well as a good edge-rusher. Coleman’s instincts were very good, and he was able to read plays and get into the backfield quickly.
I would definitely not mind if Nebraska was able to get him to commit to the defensive side the ball.
Mickey Joseph could play a role
Here is where Mickey Joseph comes in. If Nebraska is able to get Coleman, I think Joseph plays a huge role. Joseph has made no bones about it. He is fine with being labeled as a recruiter. Yes, he is the wide receivers coach. However, as a top recruiter, he could help Nebraska football get Coleman into the program.
This is a situation where Joseph would be recruiting for the program and not just for position. Coleman would certainly fit well at wide receiver. However, Joseph could use his recruiting talents to get Coleman here for a defensive role.
If Nebraska football was able to land a top kid in the class of 2023, that would be massive. We hear talk all the time about Nebraska football trying to build a proverbial fence around the state. Can Joseph help land Coleman? This is going to be fun situation to watch. Hopefully, the ball bounces in Nebraska’s favor as they look to gain some momentum in recruiting.
