The in-state Husker legacy has the tools to develop into a nice Z receiver.
Not since Frank Solich was running the Nebraska football program has a Husker head coach prioritized local recruiting as much as Matt Rhule. But with the 105-man roster cap coming this year, in-state recruiting will be directly affected.
With the walk-on program all but decimated, moving forward, earning a coveted in-state offer will be more difficult than ever. Even so, Rhule and his staff will continue to make it a priority to bring in the best players in the state.
Lincoln Southwest athlete Jackson Carpenter got on the previous staff’s radar after his sophomore track season caught their attention. He also performed well at a pair of Husker camps in June 2022. His recruitment was interrupted, however, during the transition period between Scott Frost being fired and Matt Rhule ultimately being hired.
When Rhule and his staff spread across the state during the January 2023 contact period, a hamstring injury kept Carpenter from working out for them. Had he been healthy that winter, he may have earned an earlier offer.
His hamstring injury affected his summer camping schedule as well, with Carpenter wanting to make sure he was completely healthy for his junior season. Although he earned FCS offers from North Dakota State and Northern Iowa, missing out on camps in 2023 robbed him of earlier FBS attention.
Carpenter would go on to have a productive junior season and received his first Power Four offer from Kansas on Nov. 11, 2023. He’d also maintained a dialogue with the new Husker staff and was in Lincoln for games against Louisiana Tech and Purdue. He also caught the attention of programs including Iowa State, Kansas State, Duke and Wyoming, taking gameday visits to see the Cyclones and Jayhawks.
Carpenter is a three-sport standout. A two-year letterwinner in basketball who has a 39-inch vertical, Carpenter holds the school record in the 100 meters (10.68) and ran a PR of 22.26 in the 200 meters, while also participating in the 4×100 relays. Following his junior season, Carpenter was able to work out in front of Rhule and impressed the Husker head coach by running a 4.48-second 40-yard dash.
With impressive junior tape to accompany verified athletic numbers, Rhule made the move to offer on Jan. 3, 2024, calling Carpenter on his way to basketball practice. Then-receivers coach Garret McGuire was his lead recruiter, but most of the offensive staff was also involved.
Jackson’s father, Tim, was a Husker tight end for Tom Osborne from 1993-1997 and was a member of three national championship-winning teams. Jackson grew up a Husker fan and always wanted to play for Nebraska.
He fought the urge to jump on the offer immediately and decided to take his recruitment into the spring. He attended junior days at Nebraska (Jan. 20) and Kansas (Feb. 4) and returned to Lincoln for a pair of unofficial visits to watch spring practices on April 6 and 13, the second of which led to a commitment.
Carpenter returned two weeks later for the Red-White spring game and took his official visit June 20. Like most in-state commits, he was in attendance for every home game this past fall.
At 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, Carpenter is a versatile athlete who also plays free safety for the Silver Hawks, but it’s the offensive side of the ball where he shows the most upside.
A three-year varsity member, he finished his career with 56 receptions for 1,074 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was limited to just six games as a senior because of an injury and has missed time in other sports throughout his career due to nagging injuries. That’s a minor concern moving forward.
When healthy, however, Carpenter has been a big-play threat and certainly has the speed, quickness, explosion and frame to develop into a nice Z receiver for the Huskers.
Carpenter graduated early and was able to join the Huskers on their bowl trip and took part in a few practices as well. He’s participating in winter conditioning and will take part in spring practices.