Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Former Nebraska LB Greene transferring in
Keyshawn Greene, a former Nebraska linebacker, announced Tuesday night that he’s transferring to FAU.
Greene, a true freshman, was the second highest-rated recruit in the Huskers’ 2020 recruiting class and joins the Owls after entering the transfer portal Friday.
Joining FAU gives Greene two opportunities he didn’t have at Nebraska — be closer to home and possibly play this season.
The Crawfordville native went to Wakulla High School and is the third Floridian from Nebraska’s 2020 recruiting class to transfer from the program, joining Jaiden Francois and Henry Gray. Francois transferred to Central Florida, while Gray went to FIU.
Nebraska’s season is being moved to the spring after the Big Ten announced in midAugust it postponed its fall 2020 football season due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“I wanna start off by first thanking my family as well as everyone else who has helped me in the process,” Greene wrote in a tweet. “Also, I want to thank all the coaches that recruited me. With that being said, I would now like to officially commit to Florida Atlantic University.”
Greene was previously committed to Florida State from April 25, 2018, through Dec. 6, 2019. Raymond Woodie, FAU’s outside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator, was listed as one of the recruiters for Greene when he was FSU’s linebackers coach.
He decommitted from FSU one month after the Seminoles fired FAU coach Willie Taggart and signed with Nebraska the following week before arriving on campus in June.
It’s unknown if Greene will be eligible to play during the 2020 season. While FAU didn’t announce his transfer, Taggart tweeted, “Welcome to Paradise. Go Owls!” less than an hour before Greene announced his commitment. FAU starts its season against Georgia Southern on Sept. 19 in Statesboro, Ga.
If Greene committed to and joined FAU directly out of high school instead of as a transfer, he’d be the Owls’ highest-rated recruit based on 247 Sports’ composite score.
247 Sports ranked Greene as the No. 21 recruit in the state and No. 133 in the nation. Although he was ranked by 247 Sports as the No. 8 outside linebacker, the Ohama World Herald reported the Huskers liked him as an inside linebacker and saw him as a “natural” at the position.
Three of the Owls’ best linebackers from last year aren’t on the roster this season.
Hosea Barnwell reportedly entered the transfer portal over the summer, though he hasn’t announced where he plans to play in 2020. FAU Owl’s Nest reported Akileis Leroy, who was named second-team AllConference USA in 2019, will not be eligible to play this semester but could return to the team in the spring.
Rashad Smith is in the NFL after signing with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent and was signed to their practice squad.
Rivals gave Greene an impact rating of 7.9 out of 10 after he entered the transfer portal, which means they see him as, “a high impact player who won’t change a program but will certainly be a very good contributor and starter.”
“Greene is a big-time talent and a big loss for Nebraska as they were making some headway into Florida with some big names and have lost a few to the portal,” wrote Mike Farrell, Rivals national recruiting director. “He’s an athletic kid and excellent in pursuit and he would help any defense down the line at a Power Five level. He will take a year or so to develop but has so much to offer.”