Matt Rhule has already put together a strong 2027 recruiting class, but Nebraska isn’t slowing down to enjoy it. The Huskers are set to host a loaded group of visitors for Saturday night’s game against Bowling Green, and the list stretches far beyond the current cycle.
In fact, Nebraska will have prospects on campus from 2027, 2028, 2029 and even 2030. That’s not a typo. It’s a clear sign the staff is working years ahead, trying to plant seeds as early as possible.
The 2027 group brings some familiar names back to Lincoln. Quarterback Trae Taylor, wide receiver Khalil Taylor and defensive tackle Nehemiah Ombati are all expected to be in town.
Taylor, who moved from Illinois and will play his senior season at Millard South, has become the headliner of Nebraska’s class and has also been around the program often, exactly the kind of presence Rhule wants from the quarterback at the center of the class. Khalil Taylor, the Pine-Richland receiver, gives Nebraska another playmaker and another recruiting win outside the Huskers’ usual footprint.
Ombati, a 275-pound defensive tackle from Shakopee, Minnesota, adds another big body for Nebraska to develop in the trenches.
Their return matters for more than just checking in on commitments. Nebraska will have plenty of younger prospects on the sidelines, and seeing committed players around the program gives those recruits a chance to hear directly from guys who have already bought in. Sometimes your best recruiters aren’t wearing headsets.
The bigger story, though, is how much attention is already shifting to 2028. Nebraska is expected to host quarterbacks Kai Storer and Owen Herrick, running back Gabriel Hegellheimer, and receivers Marshaun Thornton and Dinari Overton.
The line play is a major part of the weekend too, with offensive linemen Evan Mitchell, Grayson Williams, Jaxen Cepeda and Justin Joseph scheduled to attend, along with defensive front prospects Christian Webb-Scott, Harrison Sjoquist and RJ Cruz III. Add linebackers Johnny Moore and Max Burns, plus defensive back Justin Ehlers, and it becomes obvious this is a significant early look at the 2028 cycle.
Several of those players have already surfaced on Nebraska’s radar as the staff starts identifying priorities. That’s the reality of recruiting now: it never really stops. Nebraska can’t wait until later in the year to start thinking about 2028, and the relationships built this weekend could matter over the next 12 to 18 months.
The visitor list keeps going, too. Nebraska is also expected to host a sizable 2029 group that includes quarterback Brody Peters, receivers Justyn Lindsay and Ty Barman, tight end Brooks Auker, edge rusher KJ Crite, defensive lineman Charles Ibe, linebacker Vince Kratochvil and safety Henry Walz.
Then there’s 2030.
That group includes quarterback Carter Cupito, receiver Camden Berry, defensive lineman Charlie Lamonica and edge rusher Niko Anest. These are players with a long way to go before signing day, and plenty will change before then.
Rankings will shift, needs will change, and some of these prospects will take different paths. But that isn’t the point right now.
Nebraska wants them on campus, around the coaches and inside Memorial Stadium.
That setting should be a strong one. Saturday’s 6 p.m.
CT kickoff gives Nebraska its first night game at Memorial Stadium this season, and Rhule has made it clear how much he values the atmosphere in Lincoln after dark. The Huskers are adding to the show with light shows in the later stages of the game and a drone show after the Bowling Green matchup.
For recruits from four different classes, that’s a pretty strong sales pitch. Of course, Nebraska’s pitch goes well beyond the lights.
Development, fit, trust, NIL and the path to the NFL all matter. But a packed Memorial Stadium at night gives the staff something a phone call or social media post can’t match.
It lets recruits feel Nebraska football.
That’s what makes this weekend so important. The 2027 class gives Rhule a foundation, but Nebraska is clearly building for what comes next. The Huskers are trying to keep that class intact while also identifying the players who can follow it.
Getting them to Lincoln is the first step.
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