NU Notes, 1/14: Juco lineman to join cousin at NU
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SAN ANTONIO — It's now Picou times two in Nebraska's 2005 recruiting class. Jordan Picou, a 6-foot-3, 310-pound offensive lineman from Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif., has committed to joining the Huskers.
In late November, Rodney Picou — Jordan's cousin — pledged to join Nebraska's scholarship recruiting class. Rodney Picou is ranked by Rivals.com as the nation's No. 8 high school guard.
"Jordan's really good at pass blocking — something I'm not," Rodney Picou said Thursday.
The 6-4, 300-pound Rodney Picou, of Moreno Valley, Calif., is here this week preparing for Saturday's U.S. Army All-American Bowl all-star high school game.
Rodney Picou said he looks forward to playing college football with his cousin, who played at Eisenhower High School in Rialto, Calif., before spending a season at Mt. San Antonio.
Jordan Picou will have four years to play three at Nebraska.
"We wanted to play football together all through high school, but he couldn't move down to Moreno Valley," Rodney Picou said.
Jordan Picou becomes the 24th player known to have committed to Nebraska's class of 2005. He's the sixth junior college player in the class, the most juco players the Huskers have ever landed in one class.
Gimme the ball: Although Nebraska recruit Leon Jackson is playing safety this week, he'd rather be playing running back on the West squad with fellow Husker-to-be Marlon Lucky. The 6-2, 210-pound Jackson also said he prefers to play running back at NU next season.
"First, I'll get a shot at running back," Jackson said. "If it doesn't work out, I'll step back at safety and see what I can do."
Jackson, though, makes it clear that he considers himself to be stronger at running back than defensive back.
"Personally, I don't know why I'm recruited more as a defensive back than running back," he said. "People see what I don't see. Maybe I'll see it someday."
Smith mulls NU: Reggie Smith of Edmond, Okla., Rivals.com's fourth-ranked cornerback, said Thursday he took note of safety Josh Bullocks' decision to skip his senior season at Nebraska in order to enter the NFL Draft.
"It might mean an opportunity for someone like me to come in and play earlier," Smith said. "I know they're pretty slim back there (in the secondary) already."
Smith said he's weighing scholarship offers from Nebraska, Oklahoma and Southern Cal. He might also make an official recruiting visit to Texas A&M or Louisiana State, he said.
Boateng decision: If Nyan Boateng, a wide receiver from Brooklyn, N.Y., selects Nebraska over Florida on Saturday, Lincoln could become a destination for some famous faces.
Boateng said he counts as friends stars such as rapper Jay-Z and NBA players Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant and Sebastian Telfair. Boateng said his relationship with Garnett was forged while they were teammates in a summer basketball league in Harlem. Boateng's cell phone has Garnett on speed dial.
Telfair and Boateng grew up playing basketball together in New York.
Jay-Z is from Brooklyn and enjoys seeing young people from the city having success, Boateng said.
"Not a lot of kids from New York City get the opportunity to get recruited and go to college," Boateng said. "Nebraska's a top school, man."
Perhaps Jay-Z and Garnett will be watching at halftime of Saturday's game, when Boateng plans to announce his choice of schools.
The 6-2, 186-pound Boateng, also a standout prep basketball player, missed the entire 2004 football season after suffering a broken tibia in preseason drills.
"At the beginning of this week, it was pretty sore," he said. "Now, it's getting better and stronger. I'm ready to go."
Etc.: Ndamukong Suh of Portland, Ore., Rivals.com's No. 6-rated prep defensive tackle, said he's narrowed his final list to Nebraska and California. ... Tom Lemming, a recruiting analyst, and representatives of Scout.com selected the players for the U.S. Army contest.
-- Steven M. Sipple
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