A couple of notes: This isn’t best player or most important. As a list based on intrigue, it skews a bit toward youth and new players, but there will be plenty of established contributors, too.
The only scholarship player not considered for the list is defensive lineman Jahkeem Green, because at the outset of our countdown he is still in junior college and is only verbally bound to Nebraska.
A native of Austin, Texas, Jaimes' nine starts in 2017 were not only a school record for a true freshman offensive lineman, but nearly matched the combined total of the four previous Husker true freshman starters along the O-line: Matt Slauson, 2005, three starts; Jacob Hickman, 2006, one; Jaivorio Burkes, 2007, three; and Tyler Moore, 2011, four.