Nebraska football is only eight weeks from kicking off, and the Huskers are heading into a season where the path to a bowl game looks tougher than usual. With a brutal schedule ahead, this roster is going to need a few new names to pop fast.
Jamal Rule feels like the clearest bet to do it. The three-star running back has been buzzing ever since the spring game, when he looked ready for real snaps.
Now the door may be even wider with Mehki Nelson’s status still uncertain. Isaiah Mozee is expected to get about 15 touches per game as a runner and receiver, but Rule has the look of the back who could take over the biggest share.
If Nelson doesn’t play this season, Rule could be the Week 1 starter and hold onto the job.
Quinn Clark is another player who keeps coming up for all the right reasons. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound receiver from Montana played in 13 games last season and caught five passes for 132 yards, but the numbers only tell part of the story.
He had three catches of at least 31 yards, including a 41-yard grab against Minnesota, a 37-yard touchdown against Akron, and a 31-yard reception in the bowl game. That kind of explosiveness already makes him one of Nebraska’s most dangerous playmakers.
Anthony Colandrea called him out this offseason, and he wasn’t alone. Clark, a former high jump state champion, has the athleticism to be the Huskers’ best deep threat, and if his route-running sharpens up, he could become a real red-zone problem.
On defense, Cameron Lenhardt looks ready for a much bigger year. The former freshman All-American has 5.5 sacks over the last three seasons, including 23 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks last year in 13 starts.
That was a step forward from 2024, but the bigger change is the scheme. The move to the 4-2-5 should suit him far better than the odd front he was playing in before.
With the right fit at last, Lenhardt has a chance to put together the kind of senior season that matches the early hype. Kade Pietrzak and Williams Nwaneri should improve too, but Lenhardt feels like the one most likely to surprise.
Riley Van Poppel is in a similar spot. The 6-foot-5, 295-pound former four-star recruit from Texas looks built for the role he’s about to play.
Last season, he appeared in all 13 games and made three starts, finishing with 16 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, a pass breakup and a blocked field goal. Even in a system that didn’t really fit him, he kept getting better.
This year should bring another jump, and while it may not be the same kind of leap Ty Robinson made in Matt Rhule’s first season, Van Poppel looks good for a noticeable step forward and at least honorable mention All-Big Ten consideration.
Vincent Shavers rounds out the list, and he might be the most complete defender of the group already. The rising junior started 12 games and played in all 13 last season, finishing with 61 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, one sack and a forced fumble.
He was second on the team in tackles for loss and built on a strong freshman year. There’s still another level for him to hit.
Nebraska’s defensive front should be better, and in his third season, Shavers should be better too. More impact plays feel like they’re coming, and he could end up as the Huskers’ top linebacker.
In Other News...
Trae Taylor Transfer Chatter Just Drew A Blunt Nebraska Response
The chatter around Trae Taylor has been building for a while, which is what made his fathers latest public message land so firmly with Nebraska fans. J.R. Taylor used social media to make clear that the highly rated quarterback recruit is committed to the Huskers, and the family also wanted the comparisons to Dylan Raiola to stop. For a program that has spent plenty of time trying to stabilize its quarterback future, any firm statement about a blue-chip recruit carries real weight.
Even so, the noise around Taylor does not appear to be going away anytime soon. He remains one of the most closely watched young quarterbacks in the country, and programs keep circling whenever a recruit draws that kind of attention. Nebraskas response, though, was blunt and direct, a reminder that the Huskers view Taylor as part of their long-term plan while Matt Rhule and his staff remain in place. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Still Has A Real Shot At Stealing LSU's Elite Commit
Ahmad Hudson is still listed as an LSU commit, but his recruitment has not gone quiet, and Nebraska remains firmly in the conversation. The 5-star tight end recently made an official visit to Lincoln, giving the Huskers a chance to make their case in person to one of the most coveted prospects in the country.
For Nebraska, the encouraging part is that Hudson has not shut the door on anything. He has not locked in a fall trip to Lincoln, but he also has not ruled one out, which keeps the door open for a program trying to chip away at a major SEC commitment and stay in the mix for a player with national-level attention. [Read more 🡒]