Football positions look solid heading into summer

With less than three months left before the Nebraska football team takes the field against Florida Atlantic, let's take a look at how NU's depth chart is shaping up.

Players will converge on Lincoln this week for summer workouts and drills, and incoming freshmen will move into the dorms and begin to work with strength coach James Dobson as they adjust to the college game.

Though players have plenty of time to improve and compete for starting spots, where do they stand at this point? If the season started today, who would start and who would sit?

Quarterbacks

Zac Lee has all but guaranteed he will be NU's starting quarterback this fall. He's a carbon copy of Joe Ganz in many ways, and most say he's slightly faster, making him a perfect fit for an offense that increasingly relies on a shotgun spread offense.

Kody Spano will likely serve as the backup once he heals from knee surgery. Converted linebacker Latravis Washington has a redshirt year to learn the position, and touted freshman Cody Green will likely redshirt unless injuries befall NU's passers. Incoming freshman Taylor Martinez will try his hand at quarterback but might switch to safety.

Running backs

Roy Helu Jr. was held out of the Red-White Spring Game with a hamstring injury, but it wasn't very serious – if it were a regular season game, he would have played. Helu Jr. bulked up more than 20 pounds and was one of the stars of spring practice.

He'll split carries with Quentin Castille, who dropped nearly 10 pounds and looked faster than ever in the Spring Game. Redshirt freshmen Collins Okafor and Lester Ward will compete with incoming freshmen Rex Burkhead and Dontrayevous Robinson for the third string spot.

Wide receivers

Niles Paul and Menelik Holt are the favorite for the split end spots, though Paul has yet to be reinstated for his suspension due to a DUI. He pleaded not guilty to all charges Wednesday. Paul will likely return this fall and be held out of a game or two.

Behind them, a number of receivers will compete for the slot receiver and backup spots.

Senior Chris Brooks played well in the Spring Game, and Will Henry, Curenski Gilleylen and Khiry Cooper will get a shot at earning playing time. Incoming junior-college receiver Brandon Kinnie is expected to be an instant impact player in the mold of ex-Husker star Maurice Purify, and freshman Antonio Bell impressed in the Spring Game despite only joining the program this spring.

Tight ends

Mike McNeill set the school record for receptions by a tight end in 2008 with 32, and it was only his first season as a starter. He'll be a reliable target for Lee and could emerge as one of the best tight ends in the conference.

This position might be NU's deepest, as four other tight ends could see the field this fall.

Dreu Young is the favorite for the No. 2 spot, but redshirt freshmen Ben Cotton and Kyler Reed shined in the Spring Game. Cotton was a favorite target for Lee in the game, and Reed took his only catch of the game for 71 yards and a touchdown.

Offensive linemen

The offensive line is still a work in progress. NU has a number of talented linemen, but offensive line coach Barney Cotton will continue to experiment with mixing and matching lineups until the right fit is found.

Center Jacob Hickman tried his hand at right guard, giving backup Mike Caputo a chance at the starting center job. Tackle Mike Smith and guard Keith Williams return on the left side of the line, but the right side is still up in the air. D.J. Jones was expected to be the right guard, but may have to fend off Hickman for his spot. At right tackle, Marcel Jones has the best shot at replacing Lydon Murtha for the starting spot. There are a number of promising backups that can compete for time, including Ricky Henry, Derek Meyer and Andy Christensen.

Kickers

Alex Henery returns and will be one of the best kickers in the nation this fall. He enters this season as the most accurate kicker in school history at nearly 90 percent and is the most accurate returning placekicker in the country. He also has a very good chance at earning the starting punter duties, so it'll be interesting to see how he handles double duty this fall. Adi Kunalic will continue to handle kickoffs.

-Compiled by Max Olson