Football is back, and with fall camp comes the annual rush of projections, bold calls and everyone pretending they saw it coming all along.
Nebraska is not getting much respect from the outside. Vegas has the Huskers at 6.5 wins, a number that suggests oddsmakers don’t see much separation from last season.
But when you look at the schedule, seven wins feels reachable. The bigger issue is how Nebraska gets there.
Matt Rhule’s team can’t lean on a couple of stars and hope for the best every Saturday. The Big Ten programs that stay in the mix usually have real depth across the board, and Nebraska has too often needed one player to do something extraordinary instead of winning with a full roster. If the Huskers are going to take a step in 2026, they need several talented players to finally turn promise into production.
Here are five who could do exactly that.
Carter Nelson might be the most intriguing of the bunch. The in-state standout was a top-50 recruit in the 2024 class and one of Rhule’s biggest recruiting wins.
The athletic tools have always been obvious, but injuries have kept Nebraska fans from seeing the full package. He’s been something of a tweener, not quite built to live inline as a tight end and not quite refined enough to settle in as a full-time receiver.
The move to the slot looks like the answer. In space, Nelson can show off the traits that made him such a coveted prospect in the first place.
His size can overwhelm defensive backs, and his speed is a problem for linebackers. If he can stay healthy, he could push into the two-deep and become one of the offense’s most dangerous pieces.
Williams Nwaneri brings a different kind of upside. At 6-foot-7 and 270 pounds, the sophomore edge rusher has one of the highest ceilings on the roster.
The former five-star transfer from Missouri came to Nebraska looking for a chance to become an impact starter, and he flashed that talent last season without consistently delivering the kind of disruptive plays that come with elite edge production. That’s not unusual for a player still early in his college career, especially at a position where every week means going against future NFL tackles.
Another offseason in the weight room, plus daily work against Nebraska’s improving offensive line, should help him move forward. If he becomes a reliable pass-rushing threat on third down, he has the kind of burst that can wreck an opposing backfield.
Cameron Lenhardt may be the player who benefits most from Rob Aurich’s defense. Nebraska’s previous three-man front asked him to do things that didn’t always fit his body or his game.
At 265 pounds, he wasn’t big enough to consistently anchor inside against double teams, but he was also being asked to hold the edge. Aurich’s shift to a more traditional four-man front should put Lenhardt in better spots, letting him attack one-on-one and play the way he did when he first burst onto the scene as a freshman.
Since then, the havoc numbers have dipped and the fit has not always looked comfortable. With more chances to attack gaps instead of eating blocks, his tackles for loss and sack totals should climb.
Nebraska needs veterans like Lenhardt to find their best form if it wants to hang with the top of the Big Ten.
Isaiah Mozee has flown a little under the radar in a backfield that has drawn plenty of attention this offseason because of Jamal Rule’s breakout spring, Mekhi Nelson’s legal issues and the arrival of transfer Tikey Hayes. But Mozee has quietly kept working through his switch from wide receiver to full-time running back.
That’s no small adjustment, especially in the Big Ten, where the job demands a different build and a different mentality. Physically, he already looks the part.
What stands out is the way he moves with the ball. He doesn’t rely on the kind of violent jump cuts Emmett Johnson uses; instead, he slips through traffic with subtle hip movement and body control.
With the competition at running back still wide open, Mozee has a real shot to carve out meaningful snaps and maybe even take a big share of the carries.
Janiran Bonner is the most versatile name on the list, and coaches have seemed to love him at every stop. There’s a reason for that.
At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, he can block, catch, run with the ball and create matchup problems all over the field. Defenses have to account for him in a lot of different ways whenever he lines up.
The main obstacle has been health. If he can make it through a full preseason and stay available, Dana Holgorsen has already shown a willingness to build packages around unique playmakers.
Bonner could end up lining up everywhere, and Nebraska could use that kind of Swiss Army knife after the offense stalled in the second half of last season.
Rhule said at Big Ten Media Days that this is the most talented roster he’s had since arriving in Lincoln. That’s a strong statement before a snap has been played, but if he’s right, Nebraska’s season could look very different.
The common thread with these five players is simple: the talent has never really been the issue. Production has.
Each has flashed. Each has dealt with injuries, fit issues or the challenge of adjusting to Big Ten football.
If even a few of them finally break through, Nebraska becomes a deeper, more dangerous team in a hurry.
In Other News...
Jeremiah Charles Is Forcing His Way Into Nebraskas Fall Plans
Jeremiah Charles has spent fall camp trying to make himself impossible to ignore, and the early returns suggest he is doing exactly that. After adding weight and sharpening his athleticism, the Nebraska linebacker has put himself in better position to earn more snaps this season, with his own growth showing up in the way he moves, processes the defense and carries himself on the field.
Charles said his progress has been physical and mental, too, with improved explosiveness matched by a better grasp of the scheme and a steadier confidence. Consistent preparation and coaching have helped fuel that rise, and now the question is whether Nebraska can keep finding ways to work him into the rotation once the games begin. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Freshman WR Momentum Is Suddenly On Hold In Camp
Larry Miles had been one of the quieter names to watch in Nebraskas wide receiver room as camp unfolded, but the freshmans momentum appears to be on pause for now. A video posted to his Instagram story showed him in a walking boot after what looked like a lower-body injury, an unfortunate development for a young player trying to carve out a role heading into the season.
The bigger question is what it means for Miles availability once the games start to matter. Nebraska has not offered any specifics on the injury or how serious it might be, leaving his status open-ended for the time being. For a freshman trying to make an early impression, the timing is far from ideal, and the next update will go a long way toward clarifying where things stand. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Offense Is Turning Heads For One Reason Fans Will Love
Nebraska heads into the 2026 season carrying one of the more experienced rosters in the country, and that showing in fall camp has given offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen plenty to like. ESPNs Bill Connelly has the Huskers third in returning production, and Holgorsen pointed to the offenses maturity, the speed in the wide receiver group and the return of fifth-year senior Janiran Bonner as signs the unit is trending the right way.
Bonners presence is especially notable for a group that needs reliable playmakers, while the young running backs are still trying to prove themselves after limited game action. Holgorsen sees potential there, but the bigger development for Nebraska may be how quickly the offense can turn that experience into something sharper and more dangerous once the season begins. [Read more 🡒]