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Evaluating Nebraska Football Wide Receiver Commit Antayvious Ellis

Evaluating Nebraska football commit Antayvious Ellis following his junior season.
Caleb Sisk|
Antayvious Ellis, following a high school game with Crowley High School in Texas.
Antayvious Ellis, following a high school game with Crowley High School in Texas. | Antayvious Ellis

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Nebraska Cornhuskers

The Nebraska Cornhuskers have a total of six commitments when it comes to the 2027 recruiting class. This is good enough to give fans hope that the future may be brighter than it has been in the world of high school recruiting.

The Cornhuskers have landed many of their top targets, including Antayvious Ellis. He is one of the better players in the class and is a wide receiver commit for the Huskers at this time. He is from the state of Texas, and currently plays high school ball with Crowley High School. Ellis will be one of the main players to watch when it comes to this class, as he is someone many fans are excited about.

I recently evaluated the talented prospect to take a deep dive into what he offers at this point in his recruitment. In this evaluation, we take a look at his positives, things he needs to work on, and how he grades as a prospect.

Positives

Fakes Off The Line: Ellis is one of the better wide receivers I have watched when it comes to his fakes off the line. He does well when it comes to using his feet to throw the corner off. He has solid hips when doing this as well, which is what many corner coaches have advised their players to watch, as his moves can get a DB biting in the wrong direction. This is arguably the most underrated trait he has.

Speed On The Cut: One of the players that I like the most when it comes to this. He is someone who tortured the defensive backs who opted to play off the line, as he would only need one cut to create space. This is what you are looking for when it comes to the younger guys, as he is mostly dominant on his inside routes. It seems the only way to prevent this is to have an over-the-top safety surrounding the area that he cuts, because there were too many times he obliterated a defensive back in one of the better states.

Reps With Double-Moves: There are plenty of players who don't have much experience when it comes to this factor of their game, but with reps comes improvement. He has the speed to be able to cause some havoc, and he is one of my favorite players in the state of Texas when it comes to his timing of the double move. Sure, it's not perfect, but he is already one step ahead of a lot of receivers, as most guys don't get many reps of double-moves.

Dangerous In The Screen Game: He is dangerous when he is in the bubble screen game, as he is someone who is at his best when it is one-on-one coverage. This is often why you'll see a lot of zone coverage against him. He tortures man coverage and is quick enough for DBs to give up some yards to help put themselves in a solid position down the field. This is what is known as "giving cushion". The only issue with that is the fact that he becomes more deadly in the short game, which is where he can cause a lot of damage. I believe this is something Nebraska will need to take advantage of, as he is only getting better through his reps. You can tell he is an improved player with the ball in his hands.

2027 four-star wide receiver Antayvious Ellis is committed to Nebraska.
2027 four-star wide receiver Antayvious Ellis is committed to Nebraska. | @AntayviousEllis/X

Things To Work On

4-Star WR target Antayvious Ellis
4-Star WR target Antayvious Ellis | Antayvious Ellis

Physicality: It is no secret that he is someone who has been more of a route runner and YAC type of player. However, it does seem there are more traits worth mentioning, like his physicality. He can be more physical through his reps, but there aren't many great examples of this. I would like to see him be more physical off the line because he will see a lot of jamming corners in college, and if he wants the chance to see the field right away, he will need to be dominant off the line of scrimmage with physicality. The good thing is the QB will always look for the open receiver, because you won't be getting many 50/50 balls out of Ellis.

More Slot Work: I would absolutely love to see Ellis work more in the slot, because a lot of his film is on the outside. Oftentimes, even the lone guy to his side, which allows him to get open, but there is a solid chance that his ceiling is at the slot position. He would be a decent/ready-to-play size at slot almost immediately, and would have the chance to be dominant. It goes back to the short routes, as he is someone who could find a path torturing sets that have a slower slot or a linebacker that flexes out.

Grade

As of now, the talented prospect is deserving of a four-star ranking and is someone who has the chance to rise. I don't see him hitting five stars in his time at high school, but it would be a bit shocking if he were to stay a three-star. He projects as a multi-year starter and is someone who has the capability to play in his first season with the Huskers. I don't believe he will be an immediate starter, but I do believe what he offers is immediate help. His upside leads me to believe he will be a possible starter by year two or three in Lincoln.

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Caleb Sisk
CALEB SISK

Caleb Sisk is a talented sports journalist from the state of Georgia. Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sisk's passion for sports grew. Bringing years of recruiting coverage experience, he has been named a National Recruiting Reporter and covers various college sites on the On SI network. He takes pride in covering recruiting and has been featured by numerous companies for his excellent coverage and knowledge. He has also spent time at other companies, including Rivals, where he covered the Tennessee Volunteers.

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