Nebraska’s first official depth chart of the 2026 season gave fans a few expected answers and a handful of wrinkles, and the biggest ones came up front and in the backfield.
The Huskers are set to open against Ohio on Saturday in Week 1, and the initial lineup already hints at some real battles that still need sorting out. Some spots look settled enough for now. Others are very much still open.
One of the clearest wins on the board belongs to Gunnar Gottula. Nebraska kept recruiting over him, but he still forced his way into the starting mix. His name appeared with an “or” beside it, which means Tree Babalade is also being treated as a starter, and both players are expected to play as long as Tree is healthy.
Gottula, a Nebraska native, has earned the trust of the staff. He’s started 16 career games at both left and right tackle, and he appears likely to start Saturday.
There’s still a chance he ends up inside at some point, especially after Rhule said last week that Gottula was one of the best five regardless of position. If Babalade is also among the top five and his best fit is tackle, then Gottula could slide inside.
For now, Nebraska is still sorting out its best five offensive linemen.
The backfield picture is just as crowded. Isaiah Mozee, Mekhi Nelson and Jamal Rule all showed up on the depth chart as starters or with an OR, which is a pretty strong sign this will be a committee situation. Rhule said all three will get chances, and Kwinten Ives is in that mix too.
That setup makes sense. These are young backs, and each one brings something different.
Nelson has three years left, Mozee has four and Rule has five. Nebraska isn’t looking for one replacement to step in and do everything Emmett Johnson did.
It may take all three - maybe even four - to get close.
There were also a few notable developments on the defensive line. The two transfer defensive tackles, Jasher Whittington and Owen Stoudmire, both earned starting jobs. Anthony Jones also landed one of the defensive end spots, which stood out because he was expected to be more of a pass-rush piece this season.
Williams Nwaneri is listed second team for now, and both he and Cameron Lenhardt have plenty to prove. One encouraging note for Nebraska: Tyson Terry made the two-deep. That’s a good sign for the Huskers moving forward, especially with the old line that wrestlers tend to make great defensive linemen.
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