If Nebraska fans needed another jolt of optimism about the future at quarterback, Trae Taylor just handed them one.
The Husker commit picked up his fifth star from Rivals and On3, coming a month after he earned the same upgrade from the analysts at 247Sports. The latest bump wasn’t just about the label, either. Taylor vaulted from No. 71 in the 2027 class to No. 17 overall in Rivals’ updated rankings.
That kind of rise tracks with what Taylor has put on tape. He turned in a big junior season at Mount Carmel in Illinois, then transferred this spring to Omaha Millard South so he could be closer to Nebraska and keep learning from Matt Rhule and the staff.
Last year, he threw for 3,571 yards with 38 passing touchdowns and only three interceptions. He also added 633 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns.
Rivals’ Bryan Munson pointed to Taylor’s spring and summer as a major reason for the climb. “What directly contributed to his new five-star ranking was that Taylor was named the Elite 11 Finals MVP, which is one of the most prestigious honors a high school quarterback can win. Taylor became the first Nebraska commitment to win the Elite 11 MVP, beating out 20 of the nation’s best quarterbacks.”
Taylor’s Elite 11 run carried even more weight because of the names that have won the award before him. Past MVPs include C.J.
Stroud, Caleb Williams, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Fields, and Matthew Stafford. Taylor drew praise throughout the event for his accuracy and decision-making, then kept it rolling through the Nike “The Opening,” where he was recognized as the nation’s best.
Of course, the more Taylor’s stock rises, the more people start wondering whether Nebraska can really hold onto him. Rumors started earlier this spring that Ohio State was pushing hard for him, and plenty of people immediately began talking about a flip that never happened.
Then Taylor’s father stepped in on social media to shut down the noise. “Let’s please be clear, if we have these people in the building,” he wrote alongside a picture of the staff.
“ TRAE WILL BE WITH THEM IN DECEMBER. Stop the Trae is transferring narratives.
There is not another head coach or support staff that Trae trusts more.”
Even with that message out there, the speculation figures to keep coming. For now, though, Nebraska has every reason to feel good about where things stand. If everything breaks right, the Huskers will sign the No. 2 quarterback in the class, a player who is only decimal points away from being the top passer in his cycle.
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Tree Babalade has spent spring practice trying to make Nebraskas reshaped offensive line feel less like a collection of newcomers and more like a unit. The 6-foot-5, 330-pound transfer is in the mix at right tackle after a season in which injuries kept the Cornhuskers searching for answers up front, and he has been part of a group that includes Brendan Black and Paul Mubenga showing early chemistry as the line works to become more mobile and more physical.
For Nebraska, the appeal is obvious. Coaches and teammates have seen a group that looks better suited to protect the quarterback and create more push in the run game, two areas that have to stabilize if the offense is going to take a step forward. Babalades role is still part of the competition, but his size and spring progress have already made him one of the more important names to watch as the line continues to sort itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Just Took A Brutal Hit To Its Pitching Staff
Nebraskas roster planning took a hit this week when two pitchers, Ty Horn and Carson Jasa, were selected early in the MLB draft, a development that could reshape the Huskers staff heading into next season. For a program trying to keep momentum going on the field while also building out its future at quarterback, it is the kind of double-edged reminder that college baseball and recruiting never really stop moving at the same time.
The timing matters because Nebraska is still working to hold together its long-term football pipeline, too, with top 2027 quarterback commitment Trae Taylor reaffirming his pledge as long as Matt Rhule remains coach. The Huskers are also pushing ahead in the 2028 class, where Jaxson Carper remains a priority target and is expected back on campus again in the fall, keeping the programs future plans very much in motion even as one part of the roster suddenly looks thinner. [Read more 🡒]