Tanner Vibabul Flips to James Madison, Leaving Nebraska's QB Room Thinner Heading into 2026
Nebraska’s 2026 quarterback recruiting cycle just took another unexpected turn - and not in the Huskers’ favor. While Wednesday brought the good news of Dylan Berymon officially signing, the day also delivered a tough blow: quarterback prospect Tanner Vibabul won’t be coming to Lincoln after all. Instead, the Las Vegas dual-threat is headed east to James Madison.
Vibabul’s commitment to Nebraska was always a bit of a late-breaking development. He jumped on board following the decommitment of Dayton Raiola - the second of three Raiolas to part ways with the Huskers before Dylan Raiola ultimately transferred to Oregon. But despite the timing, there was still optimism that Vibabul would sign on the dotted line during the February window.
That didn’t happen.
James Madison came in late with a compelling offer, reportedly including revenue-sharing and NIL incentives - something Nebraska didn’t put on the table. And just like that, Vibabul pivoted. By Thursday, multiple recruiting analysts had logged predictions for him to land with the Dukes, and that’s now official.
So what does this mean for Nebraska?
Well, it’s not a devastating loss, but it does thin out the quarterback depth chart more than head coach Matt Rhule and quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas would probably like. As it stands, the Huskers are heading into 2026 with Anthony Colandrea, TJ Lateef, and Daniel Kaelin as their only scholarship quarterbacks.
Vibabul, a 3-star prospect, was seen as a developmental piece with upside - especially in a system that’s expected to lean more into dual-threat capabilities. Nebraska likely pitched him on the opportunity to compete early and fit into a scheme that could showcase his mobility and playmaking ability. But when you look at the current QB room and the arrival of Trae Taylor in 2027, it’s not hard to see why Vibabul may have questioned where he’d fit in long-term.
This decision isn’t about one player changing the program’s trajectory - it’s about the margin for error getting slimmer. The Huskers are still in decent shape at quarterback, but one injury or transfer could suddenly make things dicey. And with no clear replacement on the horizon before the end of the February signing period, it appears Nebraska will ride with what it has for now.
In the bigger picture, this is another reminder of how fluid recruiting has become in the NIL era. Offers don’t just come with scholarships anymore - they come with financial packages, marketing opportunities, and real-time decisions that can turn overnight. For Nebraska, this one stings a bit, but it’s also part of the new normal in college football.