The NFL season is here, and Nebraska has only a small handful of former Huskers on opening-week active rosters to show for it.
Nine ex-Nebraska players made the cut to start the year on NFL rosters, the program’s lowest total in at least five years. That group includes Ameer Abdullah at running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Maliek Collins at defensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns, Thomas Fidone II at tight end for the New York Giants, Luke Gifford at linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers, Cam Jurgens at center for the Philadelphia Eagles, Emmett Johnson at running back for the Kansas City Chiefs, Ty Robinson at defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles, and Cam Taylor-Britt at cornerback for the Indianapolis Colts.
Those eight were joined by Ben Stille, who began the year on the Detroit Lions’ practice squad before being elevated to the 53-man roster ahead of the Lions’ Week 1 game against the New Orleans Saints.
Johnson stands out as the only rookie in the group, making him the one to keep an eye on when it comes to workload in his first game. Abdullah, meanwhile, is the veteran of the bunch. He’s entering his 12th NFL season and doing it with his sixth different team.
The drop-off from recent years is stark. Nebraska had 12 players on opening rosters last season, 10 in both 2024 and 2023, and 19 in 2022.
One of those nine won’t be available right away. Taylor-Britt, who started his career with the Cincinnati Bengals before signing with the Colts as a free agent this offseason, is suspended for the first week of the 2026 season, so Nebraska fans will have to wait a week before seeing him begin his year with Indianapolis.
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Colandrea Gave Nebraska Hope But One Sloppy Issue Still Lingers
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Still, there was one messy sequence that fit a broader concern Nebraska cant quite shake. Colandreas first interception of the season was logged as a pick, but it came after Jacory Barney lost the ball when JoJo Johnson stripped it away, and special teams added its own frustration with penalties on punt returns. For a team trying to keep cleaner edges around an offense that looked in control for long stretches, those little lapses remain the nagging part of the story. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Rhule Has Another Coach Wanting Nebraskas Program Blueprint
After Nebraskas decisive win over Bowling Green, the conversation around Matt Rhule extended well beyond the scoreboard. Bowling Green coach Eddie George came away impressed with the way Nebraska is being built, praising Rhules coaching style and the broader approach he has used to shape the program. It was the kind of postgame respect that tends to follow a team that looks organized, physical and clearly headed in a direction.
George said he wants to learn from Rhule and seek advice on how to improve his own program, a notable compliment from a coach still working through his own build at Bowling Green. He also spoke about his coaching journey and the progress his team has made, which only added to the sense that Nebraskas model is starting to draw attention from across the sport. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Made An Early Impression On A Defensive Line Target
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For Nebraska, the appeal goes beyond just getting Cruz on campus once. He is still working through where he fits best on the defensive line, and the Huskers will have to keep that momentum going as he continues to compare them with other programs. For now, Nebraska has at least given him something to think about, and the next step will be whether that early interest turns into something more durable. [Read more 🡒]