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Nebraska True Freshman Linebacker Vincent Shavers Earns Blackshirt

Shavers posted the honor on social media as the Huskers prepare for Saturday's Pinstripe Bowl.

Austin Jacobsen

Nebraska linebacker Vincent Shavers Jr celebrates after a stop on third down against Rutgers.
Nebraska linebacker Vincent Shavers Jr celebrates after a stop on third down against Rutgers. / Amarillo Mullen
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A Nebraska football true freshman has joined the ranks of the Blackshirts.

Vincent Shavers, a linebacker from Miami Central High School in Florida, claimed the coveted black practice jersey as the Huskers prepare for their game Saturday against Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl. On his social media accounts, Shavers posted a photo of himself wearing the practice jersey with the caption 'BLACK SHIRT'.

Shavers has played in every game in 2024 as a true freshman with one start, against Indiana. The linebacker has recorded 19 tackles and a half tackle for loss.

Prior to coming to Lincoln, Shavers was one of the top players in the Miami area, totaling more than 170 tackles during his prep career, including 30 tackles for loss and 20 sacks. He was rated as the No. 27 outside linebacker recruit by Rivals, earning a four-star ranking in the 2024 recruiting cycle.

Shavers flipped his commitment from in-state Miami to Nebraska in late December of 2023. He was reportedly squeezed out of the Hurricanes' 2024 class due to a numbers crunch. After his scholarship was pulled by Miami, Shavers moved on to Nebraska following visits from Texas and West Virginia.

The Blackshirt is not the first honor for Shavers during the season, as the linebacker was awarded a single-digit uniform in the middle of the season. Shavers' No. 1 was given following former Husker Jimari Butler's change back to No. 10 prior to the Rutgers contest. The true freshman has been a backup to starter John Bullock throughout the season and is listed as Bullock's backup for the upcoming Pinstripe Bowl against Boston College.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (16) throws as he is hit by Nebraska linebacker Vincent Shavers Jr.
Oct 5, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (16) throws as he is hit by Nebraska Cornhuskers linebacker Vincent Shavers Jr. (1) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Coach Matt Rhule was impressed from the start of the preseason with the freshman. "There might be a freshman moment here or there, but I got no doubts about him. None," Rhule said about Shavers on Aug. 19.

With several defensive players transferring out, including linebackers Mikai Gbayor, Stefon Thompson and Princewill Umanmielen, Shavers' role may have increased significantly for the Saturday matchup against the Eagles as well as for the 2025 season.

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Austin Jacobsen
AUSTIN JACOBSEN

Austin Jacobsen is a radio broadcaster and former Sports Director in Central Nebraska. He has seen the Cornhusker state from all corners; growing up in the Panhandle, completing his college degree in Kearney, working in the rural Sandhills, and now residing in Omaha. Austin is a statewide, regional, and national radio award winner and can usually be found at a high school football field on Friday nights and tuning in to the Huskers wherever they travel. If he is not on the road, Austin enjoys movie dates with his girlfriend and their dog, Ava.

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