If it wasn't evident the Nebraska coaching staff was concerned with the defense, just take a look at the 2014 recruiting class. With eight defensive commitments, the Cornhuskers added more help on Friday.
Junior college defensive back Byerson Cockrell (Columbus, Miss./East Mississippi Community College) committed to Nebraska, according to multiple reports, giving the team its third juco commmitment in the 2014 class.
Cockrell took a visit to Lincoln, Neb., for the game against Iowa on Nov. 29. Despite the loss, Cockrell seemingly saw enough to call Nebraska his future home. He will be able to enroll in January and could provide an immediate impact to the Nebraska defense.
At 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, Cockrell is the fifth defensive back commit in this class alone for Nebraska to go along with Luke Gifford (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Southeast), Trai Mosley (Pflugerville, Texas/Hendrickson), Josh Kalu (Houston/Alief Taylor) and Chance Waz (Pflugerville, Texas/Hendrickson). Part of that is due to current defensive backs Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Andrew Green, Ciante Evans and Mohammed Seisay graduating after this season.
There will be big shoes to fill, but adding Cockrell into the mix could help ease those departures.
Nebraska has 18 commitments in the 2014 class and is likely not done on defense just yet. Defensive end Darius Slade (Montclair, N.J./Montclair) also recently took a visit and could be close to a decision.
Slade, a three-star prospect, has Nebraska, Michigan State and Penn State in his top three.
