Nebraska basketball just added a name that changes the program’s recruiting record book.
On Thursday, 2027 five-star forward Dawson Battie officially signed with the Huskers, making him the highest-ranked recruit in Nebraska basketball history. He edges out Bryce McGowens, who signed with Nebraska in 2021, even though both players finished their recruiting cycles ranked No. 28 nationally. Battie’s 0.9908 composite score tops McGowens’ 0.9800, which is what puts Battie alone at the top of the Huskers’ all-time list.
Battie brings the kind of profile that turns heads fast. The 6-foot-8 forward from Texas is ranked No. 4 nationally at his position and No. 4 in the state, according to the 247Sports Composite. He drew more than 20 Division I offers before settling on Nebraska, choosing the Huskers over programs like Kentucky, Baylor, and Kansas.
“Dawson is a skilled athletic forward who is an ideal fit for our system with his skillset and basketball IQ,” Hoiberg said in a release. “At 6-foot-9 with a nearly seven-foot wingspan, his has great positional size, the ability to score from different levels and can also initiate offense in our system.
He is a high-volume rebounder on both ends of the court and has very good defensive instincts. Dawson is also a high-character individual who wants to reach his potential, and we are excited to add him to our program.”
Nebraska’s 2027 class got another boost alongside Battie. The Huskers also signed four-star wing Ty Schlagel out of Cretin-Derham Hall in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Schlagel, a 6-foot-5 small forward, is ranked No. 139 nationally, No. 35 at his position, and third among prospects in Minnesota.
“Ty possesses good positional size on the wing and the ability to space the floor at a high level, which is something that is important in our system,” Hoiberg said. “He comes from a winning high school program and understands how to win.
He is also a fit for our culture with his skillset, toughness and everyday habits. We are looking forward to him developing in our system.”
Battie’s path to Lincoln moved quickly once he locked in his commitment. He pledged to Nebraska on Sept. 21 after an official visit to Lincoln the weekend of Sept. 19, and despite late pushes from other schools, he stayed with the Huskers through signing day on Nov. 12.
His signing also lands in the middle of Nebraska’s recent rise under Hoiberg. The Huskers are coming off a program-record 28-win season in 2025-26, a year that included the school’s first two NCAA Tournament victories. Nebraska eventually fell to rival Iowa in the Sweet 16, but the run clearly left an impression on Battie and his decision to join what Hoiberg is building.
Battie will arrive in Lincoln next summer with a family background that already includes plenty of basketball pedigree. His older brother, Dillon, was a three-star recruit in the 2024 class. Dillon first committed to Temple before transferring to Wichita State, where he averaged 7.6 points and 4.7 rebounds last season.
Dawson’s father, Derrick Battie, was a four-year starter at Temple from 1992 to 1996. During that stretch, the Owls made four straight NCAA Tournament appearances. Derrick later played professionally overseas and in the CBA.
His uncle, Tony Battie, had an even bigger basketball résumé. Tony played four seasons at Texas Tech before being taken fifth overall in the 1997 NBA Draft. He went on to appear in more than 800 NBA games over a 15-year professional career.
If Dawson Battie comes close to that kind of production, he’ll be in rare company at Nebraska. The Huskers have had accomplished players before, including Tyronn Lue, who was selected 23rd overall in the 1998 NBA Draft after three seasons in Lincoln. But no one has arrived as a higher-rated high school recruit than Battie.
That’s the headline now. The next step is turning all that promise into production.
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