Nebraska’s rebuilt offensive line has come out of the gate looking the part, and through three games there’s one name rising above the rest: Brendan Black.
Under new position coach Geep Wade, the group has settled in quickly as a unit. But Black has separated himself, in large part because he arrived in Lincoln via the Transfer Portal this offseason and has immediately played like one of the best linemen in the country.
According to Pro Football Network, Black owns a 93.9 PFN Impact Grade over 184 snaps, which puts him at No. 5 among offensive linemen nationally. That’s elite company, and Nebraska now has another lineman right there with him. Center Justin Evans ranks No. 6 in the sport with a 93.6 grade, giving the Huskers two top-6 offensive linemen.
The rest of PFN’s top tier is loaded with Big Ten names as well. USC center Tobias Richmond leads the way at 98, followed by left tackle Elijah Paige at 95.6.
The Trojans also place right tackle Justin Tauanuu at No. 10 with a 93.2. Indiana left guard Drew Evans is seventh at 93.4, while Minnesota left guard Greg Johnson sits eighth at 93.3.
Only two players outside the Big Ten cracked that top group.
Black has been especially impressive considering where he started. He has not been charged with a sack this season, and his 2025 campaign at Nebraska has already jumped beyond the level he showed a year ago. Last season, he posted an 84.2 PFN Impact Grade, but this fall he’s taken another step.
Before arriving at Nebraska, Black spent three seasons at Iowa State. He played in 36 games for the Cyclones and made 30 starts at right guard. After former head coach Matt Campbell left for Penn State, Campbell tried to bring Black with him, but Black chose Matt Rhule and the Huskers instead.
His final season in Ames came in 2025, when he played in all 12 games and started 10 at right guard. That year, he helped Carson Hansen earn All-Big 12 recognition after Hansen rushed for 952 yards and six touchdowns.
In 2024, Black played in all 14 games and started 13 times at right guard as Iowa State set a school record with 435 points and finished fourth in school history with 27 rushing touchdowns. As a true freshman in 2023, he appeared in 10 games and started seven, becoming the first Iowa State true freshman offensive lineman to start a game since 2008.
There’s been enough on Nebraska’s schedule so far to let people dismiss some of these early-line numbers. Ohio, Bowling Green and North Dakota aren’t the kind of opponents that force a full reveal. That changes Saturday afternoon against Michigan State, when the competition steps up and Black gets a real chance to show those grades are for real.
In Other News...
Nebraskas First MSU Injury Report Brings Early Roster Concerns
Nebraska volleyball kept rolling after a postponed match against Missouri, finishing off a straight-set win to move to 11-0. Andi Jackson was again central to the performance, piling up 10 kills, six blocks and two aces while the defense kept Missouri from finding much rhythm at the net. For a program that has handled nearly every challenge so far this fall, the Huskers continue to look like a team built to absorb disruption and keep winning.
The football side of the ledger offered a less comfortable update ahead of Michigan State, with the first injury report putting Carter Nelson out, Jordan Ochoa questionable and Bryson Webber doubtful. Early-week availability reports always leave room for movement, but this one gives Nebraska a little more to monitor as it tries to get ready for a Big Ten road test. Between the volleyball teams clean start and the football rosters uncertainty, the Cornhuskers are heading into the week with two very different kinds of momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Brings A Late Off-Field Twist Into Nebraska Showdown
Indianas buildup to the Nebraska game picked up an unusual off-field wrinkle as the Hoosiers continue to wait on the status of defenders Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt. The pair is tied to an eligibility dispute connected to a Colorado court ruling and the NCAAs new age-based eligibility model, turning what should have been a straightforward Week-to-Week personnel question into a legal matter with conference implications.
A Monroe County Circuit Court judge recently ruled both players eligible for the season, but the NCAA has already filed an emergency motion to stay that decision. For Nebraska, the uncertainty adds another layer to a matchup already carrying plenty of attention, with Indianas defensive plans still clouded until the legal process plays out and the Hoosiers learn whether Daley and Wyatt will be cleared to suit up. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Big Ten Opener Puts Its Fast Start Under Real Pressure
Nebraskas fast start is about to get a different kind of test as Big Ten play opens against Michigan State, with the Huskers installed as 5.5-point favorites. The matchup brings a sharper edge than the early-season schedule, especially for a Nebraska team that has leaned on its rushing offense, gotten key work from special teams and needs its quarterback to keep operating behind solid protection.
Michigan State has also shown signs of improvement under coach Pat Fitzgerald, which makes this less of a routine conference opener than the record might suggest. The numbers point to a game Nebraska should be able to control if it keeps winning in the trenches and avoids self-inflicted trouble, but the gap between a promising start and a real Big Ten statement is exactly what this weekend is about. [Read more 🡒]