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• Click here for complete coverage of 2012 Husker signing day
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LINCOLN — Nebraska football has had its share of dramatic signing day decisions.
But 2012 could be the biggest in recent memory with at least five — or more — targets still on NU's radar revealing their college of choice Wednesday, when thousands of high school players will sign letters of intent.
The Huskers have 14 scholarship commits. The list could grow to 19 by the time coach Bo Pelini's 2:30 p.m. press conference kicks off.
The NU fax machine has undoubtedly been checked. Coaches are ready. Fans, too. And perhaps players most of all.
"It's crazy, because I get asked at least 15 to 20 times a day," 6-foot-4, 313-pound defensive tackle Vincent Valentine told Huskers Illustrated, a recruiting partner with The World-Herald. "Everyone asks, 'Where are you going?' or 'Who did you pick?'"
Valentine, a three-star, 86-rating prospect according to 247Sports, said he picked a school last week among finalists NU, Illinois and Florida. But he'll unveil that choice in a 1 p.m. press conference at Edwardsville (Ill.) High School. Valentine's announcement is actually the last of the "big five" Husker fans are watching Wednesday. The four others:
• Defensive tackle Aaron Curry out of Fossil Ridge High in Keller, Texas, will announce at 7:45 a.m. He's reportedly down to Nebraska and Iowa after visiting TCU last weekend. The Hawkeyes have hotly pursued Curry for a year, while the Huskers came on late when former Iowa defensive line coach Rick Kaczenski took a job with NU.
• Athlete Alonzo Moore of Winnfield, La., will announce at 9 a.m. Moore visited Nebraska's summer camp on his own dime and worked out at wide receiver, corner and quarterback, earning an offer. But he's never committed and has Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State and Northwestern (La.) State among his finalists.
• Cornerback Devian Shelton of Inglewood, Calif., is scheduled to choose at 11 a.m. from among Nebraska, Washington and Oregon State, but a late, potential offer from USC — just eight minutes away from Shelton's home — may change his plans.
• Offensive tackle Andrus Peat out of Corona del Sol High in Tempe, Ariz., announces on ESPNU at 12:30 p.m. He's deciding between NU, Stanford and USC. Peat's brother Todd is a Husker defensive tackle and cousin Avery Moss is a 2012 commit at defensive end. But the Cardinals and Trojans may both have 2012 first-round NFL draft picks at the tackle spot.
One more cornerback, Raymond Ford (5-10, 165 pounds) out of Junipero Serra High School in Gardena, Calif., has Nebraska among his finalists after decommitting from UCLA more than a month ago. Ford's teammate, linebacker Thomas Brown (6-3, 212 pounds), is an expected 2012 Husker signee, as well. Ford took an official visit to California last weekend.
As of Tuesday afternoon, 247Sports had NU's class rated as the third-best in the Big Ten, behind Ohio State and Michigan. The Buckeyes and Wolverines are expected to land top-five classes nationally. Alabama, OSU and Texas are expected to battle for the No. 1 overall class.
Contact the writer:
402-202-9766, sam.mckewon@owh.com
twitter.com/swmckewonOWH
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• Click here for complete coverage of 2012 Husker signing day
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• Video: Who will Andrus Peat pick?
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