Nebraska’s 2027 recruiting class lost one of its biggest names earlier this week, but Millard South wide receiver Antayvious “Tay” Ellis isn’t going anywhere in the middle of the season.
Ellis and Nebraska reportedly agreed to a “mutual parting of the ways,” a move that ended one of the more surprising commitments in the Cornhuskers’ 2027 group. For a moment, there was at least some concern that quarterback Trae Taylor might be next to follow him out. That fear faded, and Ellis then made his own position clear after Friday night’s win over Lee’s Summit North.
“Coach Mendenhall is one of the best head coaches that I've played with. He's like-minded, very smart, good on offense, good on defense,” Ellis told the Omaha World-Herald's Juliana Schwindt. “My plan for now is to stay in Nebraska.”
On the field, Ellis backed up the comfort he’s found in the offense he’s playing in. He was the centerpiece of Millard South’s 24-14 win, finishing with 70 yards total and standing out in the second half against Lee’s Summit North. It was also the second straight week he connected with Taylor, the quarterback who had once been slated to join him at Millard South and then at Nebraska.
The two 2027 commits had even moved to Nebraska together so they could get on the same page before ever taking a snap for the Huskers. Now Ellis’ path is headed elsewhere, though exactly where remains unknown.
Still, the door to a future return to Nebraska doesn’t appear to be completely shut, even if the separation was clearly a two-sided decision. The relationship that once looked rock-solid has now changed, and the public may never know exactly why it unraveled.
That’s what makes Ellis’ departure one of the more unusual recruiting moves of the Matt Rhule era. It also serves as a reminder that in modern college football, even a cross-country move doesn’t guarantee a commitment lasts all the way to signing day.
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