Top 40 Huskers for 2021: 31-35

Voting Criteria: Player's importance to the team in 2021, overall talent, and future potential for the upcoming season. A player's long-term/NFL prospects were not taken into consideration.

Voting Panel: Publisher Sean Callahan, HuskerOnline.com senior writer Robin Washut, videographer Gregg Peterson, KETV Sports Director Andy Kendeigh, and HOL intern Abby Barmore.

Previous rankings: 36-40

Every year, a player comes seemingly out of nowhere to become the star of the spring.

This year, former walk-on Jaquez Yant claimed that title by breaking into Nebraska's backfield discussion and earning a scholarship following spring practices.

A former three-star recruit who walked on to NU in 2020, Yant was the most physical, consistent, and reliable running back for the Huskers during spring ball.

At 6-2, 245, the Tallahassee, Fla., native brings a power element to Nebraska's running game unlike any of the other scholarship backs on the roster.

Yant should get even more opportunities to push for a spot in the rotation – or potentially even a starting job – when the Huskers get back to work this fall.

After seeing action in all 12 games in 2019 and finishing with a career-high 19 tackles, injuries limited Deontre Thomas to just two games in last year's shortened season.

Now back to full strength, the fifth-year junior the time is now for Deontre Thomas to further establish himself as a fixture in Nebraska's defensive line rotation.

The 6-foot-3, 295-pound native of Mustang, Okla., has had a rollercoaster career as a Husker.

From being thrown into the rotation as an undersized true freshman in 2017, missing the bulk of his second season to an elbow injury, having a career year in 2019 before injuries and COVID-19 derailed his 2020 - Thomas is just hoping for some consistency this season.

He's currently among the top-six defensive linemen coming out of spring ball and is well on his way to being a fixture in the rotation this fall.

Just when he was about to take on the most extensive playing time of his young career last season at Purdue, safety Myles Farmer's 2020 was over after a season-ending ankle injury during pre-game warmups.

But the former Atlanta (Ga.) Westlake standout looked to be back where he left off before his injury during spring ball, as he emerged as one of the top backups behind returning senior starters Deontai Williams and Marquel Dismuke.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder showed how dynamic he could be last season in his breakout game at Northwestern, where he intercepted two passes that led to 10 Nebraska points in his first career start.

Had not been for the COVID-19 disruption that led to a free year of eligibility in 2020, Farmer would have been a front runner for a starting safety job this season. Instead, he'll likely be at the top of NU's safety rotation behind Williams and Dismuke.

Brant Banks' game experience over the past two seasons has been limited, making appearances on the offensive line in just two games.

But an early enrollee in the spring of 2019 who started his career on the defensive line, Banks has established himself as one of Nebraska's more versatile pieces up front.

The 6-foot-7, 305-pound native of Houston, Texas, is still competing for the starting right guard job along with senior Matt Sichterman.

Whether he wins that spot or not, many regard Banks as NU's top backup at both guard positions and possibly even tackle.

When it comes to looking the part as a Big Ten wide receiver, Zavier Betts has everything you'd want.

While his opportunities were sporadic at best in his debut season at Nebraska in 2020, the former Bellevue (Neb.) West star showed some serious flashes of his lofty potential.

At 6-2, 200, Betts has all the size necessary to hold his own physically. He also showed his playmaking potential with the ball in his hands, highlighted by his 45-yard fly sweep for a touchdown against Penn State.

Betts ended up with 12 catches and ranked third on the team with 131 yards. He also caught at least one pass in all six games he played.