Omaha Westside safety Caleb Benning announced his commitment Friday to Nebraska, the Huskers’ 27th pledge in the 2024 class and eighth from their home state. Here’s what you need to know:
- The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Benning, a three-star prospect, stars at receiver and in the secondary for the top team in the state of Nebraska.
- He missed much of his junior season with a collarbone injury before returning to record two interceptions in Westside’s state-championship game victory at Memorial Stadium.
- Benning’s father, Damon Benning, won two national championships as a running back at Nebraska in the 1990s. He was the MVP of the Orange Bowl after the 1996 season.
Caleb Benning waited because he wanted to get it right.
Story from September on the Omaha Westside star and Nebraska legacy: https://t.co/FpkrNwmPaf pic.twitter.com/JSr2fO6aJI
— Mitch Sherman (@mitchsherman) October 21, 2023
Why is this commitment important for Nebraska?
Benning held out to make sure he got this right. Many of his fellow 2024 prospects — and nearly all of Nebraska’s in-state targets — made decisions by June. But Benning didn’t feel comfortable until he’d given himself an opportunity to attract more recruiting attention during a healthy senior season.
In the end, he stuck with the team that recruited him most consistently. For the Huskers, another Benning in the program deepens ties in Omaha and prevents an awkward breakup with one of the top athletes in their backyard.
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(Photo: James Black / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
