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Three Predictions: Jamier Brown, Nebraska, Caleb Downs

Rivals national recruiting analyst Greg Smith has predictions on Ohio State receiver commit Jamier Brown, a Big Ten program about to go on a run in recruiting and the first defensive selection in next year's NFL Draft.

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JAMIER BROWN WILL BE OHIO STATE'S NEXT FIVE-STAR RECEIVER

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Jamier Brown committed to Ohio State last November so it's easy for him to get lost in the shuffle. But believe me, coach Brian Hartline is thrilled to have the Ohio native in the fold.

I saw Brown in person last weekend and he has all the skills necessary to be another big-time receiver in Columbus. He’s fast in and out of his breaks, runs good routes and catches the ball well.

Other programs have continued to push for him which is nothing new for Ohio State receiver commits. But he’s saying that he’s 100-percent locked in with the Buckeyes. It’s only a matter of time before he’s a five-star.

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NEBRASKA IS ABOUT TO GET ON A RECRUITING ROLL

Nebraska’s 2026 class has been off to a very slow start. The program only has three commitments at this point and one, defensive back CJ Bronaugh, is a very soft commit. But the momentum could be ready to shift in a big way soon for coach Matt Rhule.

Four-star 2027 quarterback Trae Taylor is set to announce his commitment on Thursday and the Huskers are in a good spot there. Landing an elite signal-caller who has ties to a lot of big-time prospects would certainly help Nebraska's recruiting efforts.

I’d also keep an eye on Elkhorn (Neb.) North linebacker Jase Reynolds. The Huskers are in a strong position with him, too, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he gets in the class soon. Nebraska needs momentum heading into summer official visits and it could be coming soon.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH NEBRASKA FANS AT INSIDENEBRASKA.COM

CALEB DOWNS WILL BE THE FIRST DEFENDER DRAFTED IN 2026

Now that the NFL Draft has concluded we are seeing the “way too early” mock drafts for next year. We’ll likely see a lot of Big Ten and SEC players drafted in the first round once again but one player will separate himself from the pack: Caleb Downs.

The safety from Ohio State is the best defensive player in college football and will be the first defensive player selected next season. The only caveat here is safety isn’t as valuable a position in the NFL as edge defender but Downs is elite in every way. He deserves to be the first defensive player to hear his named called next April.

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