Nebraska football is set to kick off the 2026 season on Saturday against Ohio. Heading into the season-opener, recruiting might not be at the top of mind, but Nebraska has a lot to accomplish this fall as the Huskers work to put the finishing touches on the 2027 cycle and get ahead with 2028 and 2029 recruits.
Ahead of Saturday’s season opener, here’s a guidebook to following Nebraska’s recruiting efforts through the 2026 season touching on what’s left to accomplish in the 2027 cycle, who’s going to be Nebraska’s first commit in the 2028 cycle and a rundown of just about every key 2028 target you need to know heading into the fall.
Storylines to Watch in the 2027 Cycle
1. Keeping the class together
Nebraska holds 21 commits in the 2027 cycle to date, and the Huskers don’t have much space left. Much of the focus of Nebraska’s efforts in the 2027 cycle this fall will be keeping the class intact. The first step is handling business on the field. Nebraska’s 21 2027 commits believe in what Matt Rhule and the coaching staff are building, but they also need to see results from the Huskers this season. Winning six-plus games, ideally more, is critical to keeping the majority of this 2027 class intact.
Nebraska will have to fend off other programs leading up to Signing Day in December. Five-star quarterback Trae Taylor moved from Mundelein (Ill.) Carmel Catholic to Omaha (Neb.) Millard South for his senior season and is expected at every single one of Nebraska’s home games this year. He’s as locked in to his commitment as he possibly could be, but his offseason rise will have top programs in pursuit until he puts pen to paper in December.
Nebraska edged out Penn State and Colorado for Gibsonia (Penn.) Pine-Richland four-star wide receiver Khalil Taylor. Taylor is already planning to return to Nebraska Sept. 19, which likely won’t be his last trip to Lincoln. However, still expect programs that fell shot for the four-star to work to get him to campus as well this season.
Georgia, Florida State and North Carolina are still in contact with four-star offensive tackle commit Timi Aliu out of Locust Grove (Ga.). Florida State is making a run at four-star cornerback commit Jailen Hill as well, who moved from California down to Miami (Fla.) Carol City for his senior season. The Seminoles are also working to flip three-star defensive line commit Errol Demontagnac III from the Huskers. Aliu, Hill and Demontagnac continue to say the right things about their commitment status, but Aliu has already stopped through Florida State early this season and Demontagnac is expected in Tallahassee this weekend to see the Seminoles take on SMU. Former Nebraska defensive line coach Terrance Knighton, now at Florida State, is working to flip the 6-foot-3, 290 pounder away from the Huskers.
2. What’s left for the Huskers to address?
With 21 commits in the class, what’s really left for Nebraska to address in the 2027 cycle? One big fish is still out there in Ruston (La.) five-star tight end Ahmad Hudson, who the Huskers are working to flip away from LSU. Hudson is expected back at LSU this weekend and is planning at least one trip to Nebraska this season. Nebraska has laid out a comprehensive plan to develop the dynamic two-sport athlete as both a football and basketball player under Matt Rhule and Fred Hoiberg, respectively. Some on-field success this fall from the Huskers could go a long ways in helping the Huskers’ chances of pulling off the big flip.
Hudson isn’t the only pass-catcher Nebraska is still pursuing. The Huskers have stayed active in the 2027 wide receiver market, even prior to Tay Ellis’ decision to decommit from Nebraska earlier this week. Nebraska will look to get potentially multiple blue-chip wide receiver targets to campus this fall, likely familiar targets that have previously visited. Expect the Huskers to do their due diligence with senior film evaluations in their search for a third and maybe even fourth wide receiver addition in the 2027 cycle.
Storylines to watch in the 2028 cycle
1.Who’s going to be Nebraska’s first ’28 commit?
Nebraska does not have a single 2028 commitment to date. That could change as soon as Saturday and is almost certainly expected to change by the end of September. Question is, who is going to be that first commit for the Huskers in 2028? Locally, the Huskers should be considered the program to beat for Grand Island (Neb.) Central Catholic four-star linebacker Owen Price, an uber-athletic, versatile defender who could play EDGE or linebacker at the next level. Price is set to visit Nebraska three times this fall, once each in September, October and November. He’s expected in Lincoln next on Sept. 19 to see the Huskers take on North Dakota.
On Sept. 12, Nebraska is tentatively scheduled to host Owing Mills (Md.) McDonogh School three-star defensive lineman RJ Cruz and Melville (N.Y) St. Anthony’s three-star offensive lineman Justin Joseph, two rising targets for whom the Huskers should be considered frontrunners, if not the program to beat. Cruz has been in daily communication with Nebraska’s staff this summer while Joseph made his first trip to Lincoln back in June. It might not take long for the Huskers to get one, or both, in the class.
2. Who are Nebraska’s top targets
Heading into the fall, Nebraska’s top 2028 targets at key positions of need are largely known. Evaluations never stop and new names will certainly be added to the board in the months to come, but these are the key targets to know heading into the fall. Each name listed has either visited Nebraska in the last six to 12 months, is planning to visit Nebraska this fall or considers Nebraska a top contender in his recruitment at this time.
QB: Pittsburgh (Penn.) Central Catholic three-star Owen Herrick, Virginia Bach (Va.) Landstown four-star Anthony Turner, Ventura (Cali.) St. Bonaventure four-star Jaxson Carper, Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman three-star Ace Amina
RB: Sherman Oaks (Cali.) Notre Dame four-star Noel Washington, Ruston (La.) four-star Dalen Powell, The Pennington School (N.J) four-star Tahmere Brown, Leesburg (Va.) Loudon Sports Academy three-star Marquece Sharpe Jr.
WR: Leesburg (Va.) Loudon Sports Academy four-star WR Malachi Lee, Overland Park (Kan.) Blue Valley Northwest four-star Baron Marshall, Venice (Fla.) four-star Tyree Mannings Jr., Tampa (Fla.) Carrollwood Day four-star WR Derrell Hines Jr., Manvel (Tex.) four-star Carter St. Junious, St. Louis (Mo.) Cardinal Ritter College Prep four-star Ryan Richmond-McDavis, Chicago (Ill.) Mount Carmel four-star Marshaun Thornton, Wyndmoor (Penn.) La Salle College three-star Owen Johnson, Bloomfield Hills (Mich.) Brother Rice three-star Tyler Trusel, Richland (N.J) St. Augustine Prep three-star TJ Maddox, Montvale (N.J) St. Joseph Regional three-star David Forster, St. Louis (Mo.) Christian Brothers College three-star Kingston McPike, Chattanooga (Tenn.) Tyner Academy three-star Karontae’ Cunningham
TE: Madrid (Ia.) four-star Jevyn Severson, Kansas City (Mo.) Center four-star Israel “Izzy” Johnigan, Hartland (Wisc.) Arrowhead four-star Tre Oiler, Ballwin (Mo.) Parkway West three-star Max Jones
OT: Orem (Uta.) four-star Maui Tonata, Cypress (Tex.) Ranch four-star R’Monie Edwards, Carbondale (Ill.) Community four-star Joseph Frierdich, Midlothian (Tex.) Heritage four-star Wyatt Wagner, Herriman (Uta.) four-star Toa Feinga, Des Moines (Ia.) Christian four-star Declan Heying, Atlanta (Ga.) Marist School OT Cooper Martenson, Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman OT Isaiah Eugene
IOL: Severn (Md.) Archbishop Spalding four-star Bryce Smalls, West Des Moines (Ia.) Dowling Catholic four-star Carter Barrett, Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman four-star Jamaree Turner, Omaha (Neb.) Westside four-star Justin Parish Jr., Monroe (Ia.) PCM three-star Hayden Shannon, Pittsburgh (Penn.) Central Catholic IOL Roman Maurizio, Melville (N.Y) St. Anthony’s three-star Justin Joseph.
EDGE: Chicago (Ill.) Brother Rice five-star Kameron McGee, Saratoga Springs (N.Y) four-star Cam Toomey, Loganville (Ga.) Grayson four-star Elijah Tillman, Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman four-star Tayaun Lawrence, Syracuse (N.Y) Christian Brothers Academy four-star Arthur Jones IV, Fort Wayne (Ind.) Wayne four-star Javontae Eldridge, New Iberia (La.) Westgate four-star Chance Archangel, Raleigh (N.C) Broughton four-star Darias Johnson, Lake Zurich (Ill.) EDGE Jackson Lewandowski, Forest (Miss.) EDGE Nosiah Davis
DL: Tampa (Fla.) Carrollwood Day four-star Zylen Little, Roswell (Ga.) Blessed Trinity Catholic four-star Dawson Jacobs, New Palestine (Ind.) four-star Sam Hirschy, Charlotte (N.C) Providence Day School four-star Charles Ibe, Charlotte (N.C) William Amos Hough four-star Cory Cunningham, Lake Cormorant (Miss.) three-star Ty’Jah Brown, Owing Mills (Md.) McDonogh School three-star RJ Cruz, Springfield (Ga.) Effingham County three-star Robert Brown, Severn (Md.) Archbishop Spalding three-star Nomue Duncan
LB: Grand Island (Neb.) Central Catholic four-star Owen Price, Clairton (Penn.) four-star WR/LB/DB Brandon Murphy Jr, Mundelein (Ill.) Carmel Catholic four-star Jameer Miles, Anaheim (Cali.) Servite four-star Allen Kennett IV, Missouri City (Tex.) Ridge Point four-star Brayden Bonik, Glassboro (N.J) four-star Aiden Ezeiruaku, Miami (Fla.) Central three-star Steven Moore, St. Louis (Mo.) University High three-star Anthony Busby Jr.
CB: Chandler (Ari.) Hamilton four-star Keaton Fields, Springfield (Tenn.) four-star Jermaine Cobbins, Erie (Penn.) McDowell four-star Deonte ‘Duck’ Flemings, Charlotte (N.C) Providence Day School four-star Nate Dollard, Tyrone (Ga.) Sandy Creek four-star Nathan Holston, Pittsburgh (Penn.) Seton LaSalle four-star Kia Jones Jr., Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes three-star Dale Perry, Towson (Md.) Calvert Hall College three-star Jordan Hicks, Los Angeles (Cali.) Salesian three-star Jordan Slye Jr., Corona (Cali.) Centennial three-star Jordan Kirkpatrick, Paramus (N.J) Catholic four-star AJ Lopez
S: Bakersfield (Cali.) Garces Memorial four-star Jackson Parker, Mission Viejo (Cali.) four-star Jordan Hicks, Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech four-star LaMarcus Army, Jacksonville (Fla.) Raines four-star Zion Green, Rancho Cucamonga (Cali.) three-star Terence Parsee, Powder Springs (Ga.) McEachern three-star twins Quinn Pollock and Cole Pollock
