The Nebraska football team has added another offensive weapon from the transfer portal, and Casey Thompson knows this one very well.
Former Texas wide receiver Marcus Washington announced his commitment to the Huskers on Tuesday. He's a former four-star recruit who visited Nebraska over the weekend.
Washington has two years of eligibility remaining, as well as an option to redshirt. In Austin, he was teammates with Thompson, the quarterback who transferred to Nebraska in January and is projected to start under center when NU opens the season against Northwestern in Ireland on Aug. 27.
A 6-foot-2, 190-pounder, Washington caught 25 passes for 366 yards and two touchdowns in three seasons with Texas. In 12 games last fall, including seven starts, he had 18 receptions for 277 yards.
Washington is the 15th transfer to join the Huskers since the end of the 2021 season and the third wide receiver, joining LSU's Trey Palmer and New Mexico State's Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda.
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The Huskers began looking for reinforcements at wideout following the graduation of Samori Toure, who was picked by the Green Bay Packers in the NFL Draft. Wideout became an even bigger priority after Zavier Betts left the program this spring.
Washington has the skill set to fill the role held by Touri, who averaged nearly 20 yards a catch for Nebraska, and he has similar speed to Betts. Washington can line up on the outside, but he also played several snaps at the slot position with the Longhorns, averaging nearly 15 yards a catch.
His best game came last season against Kansas, when the St. Louis native caught five passes for 100 yards and two scores.
“(Washington) has picked up kind of where he left off from last year,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian told reporters in the spring. "He was kind of a special-teams blocker in the first half of the season, kind of grew into a role as a regular-down receiver for us and has come back this spring, I think kind of just building on where he was, which is a positive."
Washington, who also was looking at Purdue and Utah, joins a wide receivers room led by Mickey Joseph that includes Omar Manning, Oliver Martin and Alante Brown, and incoming freshmen DeColdest Crawford and Janiran Bonner.
Washington's commitment comes after the Huskers bolstered their defense with Alabama transfers Stephon Wynn (defensive lineman) and Kaine Williams (safety) in a recent eight-day span.
Nebraska is now three over the NCAA's 85-scholarship limit for 2022. Of NU's 11 scholarship wide receivers, six have been added during the offseason.
Ranked the No. 145 recruit nationally by Rivals, Washington had offers from Alabama, Notre Dame and Ohio State out of high school. He also had an offer from Nebraska and made an official visit to Lincoln before ultimately picking the Longhorns.
Now he'll be wearing Husker red, and reunited with Thompson.
Nebraska's 2022 transfer additions
Hunter Anthony, OL, Oklahoma State
Timmy Bleekrode, K, Furman
Omar Brown, CB, Northern Iowa
Brian Buschini, P, Montana
Devin Drew, DT, Texas Tech
Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda, WR, New Mexico State
Tommi Hill, CB, Arizona State
Ochaun Mathis, DE, TCU
Trey Palmer, WR, LSU
Chubba Purdy, QB, Florida State
Casey Thompson, QB, Texas
Marcus Washington, WR, Texas
Kaine Williams, S, Alabama
Kevin Williams, OL, Northern Colorado
Stephon Wynn, DL, Alabama
Keeping up with the transfer portal. Here's who the Huskers have coming to Lincoln
Casey Thompson, QB
Previous school: Texas
Remaining eligibility: Two years
Of note: Thompson is the most notable transfer Nebraska has added so far because of the position he plays. He started 10 games for the Longhorns last year and led the Big 12 in touchdown passes with 24. He’ll be considered the favorite to win NU’s starting quarterback job under new offensive coordinator Mark Whipple. He’ll be on campus for this semester.
Chubba Purdy, QB
Previous school: Florida State
Remaining eligibility: Four years
Of note:
Purdy started one game in 2020 and appeared in three overall, completing 27-of-53 passes for 219 yards, a pair of touchdowns and an interception. He appeared just once in 2021 — Purdy completed all five of his passes for 98 yards and two scores.
Trey Palmer, WR/Returner
Previous school: LSU
Remaining eligibility: Two years plus a redshirt
Of note: Palmer was a blue-chip recruit out of high school and saw his role steadily grow over his three years in Baton Rouge. Now, he’ll rejoin Mickey Joseph in Lincoln. Palmer can really run — he was timed at 10.42 in the 100 meters and 21.11 seconds in the 200 — and he’s also a dangerous return man. He profiles well in the spot vacated by Samori Toure and will be on campus this semester.
Hunter Anthony, OL
Previous school: Oklahoma State
Remaining eligibility: Two years
Of note: The Oklahoma native entered 2020 as OSU’s starting right tackle, but an injury cost him most of the season. Then he served as a backup this fall. In Lincoln, the 6-foot-6, 330-pounder will be a candidate both at right tackle and at either guard spot. He’s on campus this semester.
Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda, WR
Previous school: New Mexico State
Remaining eligibility: Two years plus a redshirt
Of note: Garcia-Castaneda had a productive season at NMSU, catching 37 passes for 578 yards and four touchdowns. He was coveted as soon as he hit the transfer portal, but NU visited him in California and got him on campus for a visit in December. At 6-foot and 190 pounds, Garcia-Castaneda is a candidate for any spot in the Husker receiver rotation under Mickey Joseph.
Brian Buschini, P
Previous school: Montana
Remaining eligibility: Three years
Of note: Buschini was named the FCS punter of the year after averaging better than 47 yards per punt and more than 44 net yards per attempt. He was considered perhaps the best punter available on the transfer market this winter and will be counted on right away in Lincoln. He’s on campus this semester.
Timmy Bleekrode, K
Previous school: Furman
Remaining eligibility: Three years
Of note: Bleekrode immediately becomes the favorite to handle place-kicking duties after he was recruited from Furman by new special teams coordinator Bill Busch. The Atlanta native made 15-of-18 field goals in 2021 with a long of 51 yards and is 21-of-25 over the past two seasons.
Omar Brown, CB
Previous school: Northern Iowa
Remaining eligibility: Three years
Of note: Brown, a Minneapolis native, was named the FCS freshman of the year and a first-team All-American by Phil Steele and Hero Sports after logging 77 tackles and six interceptions in 2019.
Kevin Williams, OL
Previous school: Northern Colorado
Remaining eligibility: Two years
Of note: Williams, an Omaha North graduate, is a multi-year starter at the FCS level and began the 2021 season as the Bears’ starting left tackle. He’s got positional versatility and could be a candidate at tackle or guard for the Huskers in 2022. In a young room overall, he adds a veteran presence.
Tommy Hill, DB
Previous school: Arizona State
Remaining eligibility: Three years plus a redshirt
Of note: Nebraska loved Hill out of high school in Orlando in the 2021 class, but he ended up at ASU and earned playing time right away. The Huskers jumped on him as soon as he entered the portal, and now he’ll compete for playing time in a secondary that must replace three starters. He’s on campus this semester.
Ochaun Mathis, DL
Previous school: TCU
Remaining eligibility: Two years
Of note: The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder started a total of 34 games for TCU. He recorded 45 tackles, including seven for loss and four sacks this past season. That followed a breakout campaign in 2020, when he led the team with nine sacks and ranked second with 14 tackles for loss.
Devin Drew, DT
Previous school: Texas Tech
Remaining eligibility: One year
Of note: A native of Raytown, Missouri, Drew, a 6-foot-2, 280-pounder, made 34 tackles in 13 games this past fall and had 55 stops in all in two seasons at Texas Tech.
Kaine Williams, S
Previous school: Alabama
Remaining eligibility: Four years
Of note: Williams played in one game last season for Alabama, appearing on special teams in the SEC championship game against Georgia.
Stephon Wynn, DL
Previous school: Alabama
Remaining eligibility: Two years
Of note: Wynn appeared in seven games last season for the Crimson Tide.
Marcus Washington, WR
Previous school: Texas
Remaining eligibility: Two years
Of note: A 6-foot-2, 190-pounder, Washington caught 25 passes for 366 yards and two touchdowns in three seasons with Texas. In 12 games last fall, including seven starts, he had 18 receptions for 277 yards.
Reach Clark Grell at 402-473-2639 or cgrell@journalstar.com. On Twitter at @LJSSportsGrell.
Husker History Highlights - June 30
