Nebraska received a commit from Stilwell (Kansas) Blue Valley High School linebacker Dawson Merritt. Three takes on the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder:

Signature defensive commit and flip in the Matt Rhule era

Merritt is a top-100 talent whose dad is an assistant coach for the Kansas City Chiefs. He has a lot of natural athleticism and developed football traits, which earned him offers all over the nation. Merritt initially committed to Alabama, but NU didn't quit pursuing him or other players in the KC area. The 'Bama pledge never felt quite right; Nebraska had done strong recruiting here. Ultimately, NU wins out and gets a linebacker who could contribute right away.

Back in KC in a big way

And folks know why: Jamar Mozee. The NU offensive assistant was a longtime preps coach at Lee's Summit (Missouri) North High School where his son, Isaiah, plays receiver. Isaiah flipped from Oregon to Nebraska, Olathe (Kansas) South offensive lineman JuJu Marks flipped from Kansas to the Huskers, and now Merritt has flipped from Alabama to Nebraska. The Huskers haven't been this dialed into KC since 2013-2014-2015, when Maliek Collins and Carlos and Khalil Davis came from the area. Credit NU's hiring of Mozee.

Linebacker who can make plays three ways

Merritt can play off the ball and play the full width of the field. He can cover. And he can blitz, whether it's from depth or off the edge. His frame can probably add 25 pounds to it, making him a good fit for the rigors of the Big Ten. Bottom line: Merritt is the most versatile defensive athlete in the class and joins Westside linebacker Christian Jones as a guy who can contribute early.