Nebraska made a strong first impression on 2028 four-star defensive back Jordan Hicks, and the Huskers are pushing hard to keep him in the picture.
Hicks, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound prospect from Mission Viejo, California, finally got to campus on Saturday after Nebraska had been working for months to get him on a visit. The trip mattered to him because he wanted to see the place for himself after hearing plenty about it.
“[Nebraska secondary] Coach Addi[son Williams] has done a great job making sure he consistently reaches out, the whole staff, not even just him,” he said. “I feel like it was only a matter of time before I have to come see it for myself, not just be told how unbelievable the place is.”
Nebraska is recruiting Hicks as a cornerback, even though he’s listed as a safety. That fits with how he sees himself.
“I know at the next level I’m getting recruited as a corner everywhere I go but I’m versatile,” he said. “I can play every position for the team and do what’s best to help the team.”
Williams has been in steady contact with Hicks since June, and that relationship clearly stood out to the highly sought-after defender. USC, Oregon, Oklahoma, Miami, UCLA and plenty of others are also in the hunt, but Nebraska has built real momentum through consistency.
“We talk at least twice a week,” he said. “We’re just talking football and stuff like that, it’s been pretty good.
He’s just a cool overall dude and knows what he’s talking about. He’s seen it before and he has his guys prepared and ready for Saturdays, that’s what I saw this past week at the game.”
That Saturday game gave Hicks a closer look at Nebraska’s secondary, including veteran cornerback Andrew Marshall. Hicks watched Marshall against Indiana’s Charlie Becker and liked what he saw from the way he handled himself before and during the action.
“I’ll say they played very well, whether it was filling in the run or sticky in coverage,” he said. “A lot of the coverages they run and the way their scheme is, a lot of ways I like to run.”
Defensive coordinator Rob Aurich’s use of defensive backs in run support also caught Hicks’ attention. For him, that side of the evaluation matters as much as anything else.
“I really try to watch closely on the cornerbacks in the game, the type of movements they’re doing pre-snap, coverages they’re running, how they’re speaking on the field and talking to the safeties,” he said. “Development’s for sure No. 1 for me because I want to make it to the NFL.”
The atmosphere inside Memorial Stadium added another layer to the visit. Hicks has been around big environments before, but this one still left a mark.
“Atmosphere was loud, jumping,” he said. “That was crazy, pretty cool to see. That would be an environment I’d like to play in.”
He also spent time with Matt Rhule, who made Nebraska’s interest in him crystal clear.
“Really just what they’re trying to build at Nebraska and what they’re building week-by-week,” he said of Rhule’s pitch to him. “Why he feels like it’s a great fit for me and they’re all in on trying to make me a Cornhusker.”
After his first visit, Hicks said Nebraska showed him plenty. He’s not sure what else he still needs to see, but he does plan to keep watching the Huskers closely, especially with Oregon coming up this weekend.
“Just very interested in seeing how they bounce back from last week’s loss and how the rest of the season goes,” he said.
In Other News...
Dan Lanning Just Put Dylan Raiola Back In Nebraskas Spotlight
Dylan Raiola is back in the spotlight in a way Nebraska fans know all too well, only this time the conversation is coming from Oregon. After the Ducks loss to UCLA, coach Dan Lanning said Raiola will be part of a quarterback competition with Brock Thomas while Dante Moore works his way back from a concussion, giving the former Husker target another public moment in a crowded race. Lanning also singled out Raiolas composure after being pulled from the game, a small but notable nod for a quarterback whose name still carries plenty of weight in Lincoln.
For Nebraska, any update involving Raiola tends to ripple beyond Eugene because his path has remained such a point of curiosity for the fan base. Lannings comments added a little more texture to where things stand, especially with Oregons offense searching for steadier footing and changes reportedly coming in team operations. The details of those changes were left unsaid, but Raiolas presence in the mix was clear enough to make this one worth keeping an eye on. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Halloween Stunner Sparked Doubts Fans Couldnt Ignore
Halloween night in Lincoln delivered a jolt Nebraska fans did not see coming, as the seventh-ranked Cornhuskers were stunned at home by unranked Texas, 20-16. The loss snapped a 47-game home winning streak and came despite another outing that had Nebraska leaning on Eric Crouch, with Texas getting major days from Major Applewhite and Ricky Williams.
For a program that had treated Memorial Stadium like a fortress, the defeat carried an extra layer of sting because it was the first home loss to an unranked opponent since 1978. Nebraska slid to 14th in the Associated Press poll afterward, and the result left plenty of doubt around a team that had entered the night expected to protect its place among the nation's elite. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Showed Real Progress In A Loss Fans Know Too Well
Anthony Colandrea gave Nebraska a jolt in the fourth quarter against Indiana with a 39-yard touchdown run that pushed the Cornhuskers ahead 17-6. For a team still searching for the kind of performance that can reset expectations, it felt like the sort of moment fans had been waiting to see, especially with Nebraska showing a level of competitiveness that made the game feel different for a while.
Indiana answered with two long touchdown receptions by Nick Marsh to turn the night around and escape with a 20-17 win, the kind of finish Nebraska supporters know too well. Even in defeat, though, there was a real sense of progress in how the Cornhuskers competed, and enough promise to leave fans thinking this team may be moving toward something better. [Read more 🡒]