It’s like a mob movie—Nebraska thought they had a deal in the bag, but now Michigan and Vanderbilt are swooping in like rival crews, ready to pull the rug out from under them. Classic drama unfolds: after the visits, no commitment, and now we’re just waiting for the inevitable car crash. Not sure about Vandy, but Michigan? They’ve got a knack for stealing recruits, just like with Bryce Underwood. Let’s hope the Huskers don’t get caught in the crossfire this time. Well, it’s always a game of who gets the last word.

Now let’s come straight to the point. Nebraska has been eyeing two players for a long time but is heading nowhere with them. First up is New Mexico State’s offensive tackle, Shiyazh Pete, who recently visited the university but is still looking out for options. Moreover, most of their commitments come from recruits who sign on the dotted line right after their visit. But if a recruit takes their sweet time? Let’s just say Nebraska’s chances aren’t looking good. Well, something similar happened with Nevada OL Isaiah World as he made a visit to Nebraska but never committed. And with Shiyazh Pete?

Now Wilson Dittman highlighted the chances of a possible recruiting battle among the teams for Pete. He said, “After his visit to Nebraska, he went over to Stanford, and he was wowed. Now it’s a four-horse race at this point in time: Nebraska, Stanford, and Kentucky. He had a great visit over there at the Wildcats, but a lot of good relationships with the coaches and the players. And then Vanderbilt, because his old quarterback, Diego Pavia, is their starter over there.” Well, these are not the only threats for the Huskers; even Michigan is also in the mix.

Last month, the Michigan Wolverines sent an offer to Shiyazh Pete. Not exactly a shocker, right? Pete, with one year of eligibility left, is the kind of lineman Michigan loves to target. Just look at this guy’s physique: he’s 6’8″, 320 pounds. He is a straight-up nightmare for other teams. However, the concern here is with Sherrone Moore’s team; in the mix, things are kind of going out of Nebraska’s hands.

But it’s not the end of the world, as Wilson Dittman does have good news for all Nebraska fans. Looks like Matt Rhule is almost closing it up with wide receiver Jonah Wilson. Dittman added, “So Jonah Wilson visited about a week and a half ago at this point. From all intents and purposes, the insiders, the beat reporters, are saying that he signed the dotted line a week ago. It’s pretty much a done deal.”

So, the only deal here is Jonah is still figuring out some issues concerning his studies; other than that, he will surely be a Husker. Looks like Matt Rhule is not leaving anything that stops them from victory.

Matt Rhule and Nebraska ruling the transfer portal

Well, it’s evident that looking at the Huskers’ disappointing end to the season, Matt Rhule completely changed his approach for them. Back in 2023, he was all about “We just kind of believe in doing things the old-school way, the hard way—building.”However, in January 2025, Nebraska fully embraced the transfer portal and assembled one of the best transfer classes in the nation. So, what caused this shift? Looks like Rhule’s realized the “old-school” way isn’t always the answer when you’re trying to build a winning program.

Not only is the team excelling in recruiting, but they are also successfully attracting players from the portal, which is surprising given their 7-6 season. With 16 portal commits, Nebraska has made significant strides, with five on offense, nine on defense, and two on special teams. They have dominated the Big Ten transfer rankings, accumulating 58.97 points, just ahead of Oregon’s 50.63 points.

Nationally, they narrowly missed the top five, securing the sixth spot. Rhule is constructing something formidable, and it is evident that Nebraska’s momentum shows no signs of slowing down.

Furthermore, Nebraska’s 2025 transfer class boasts many talented players. They have secured a former 5-star player, five 4-stars, and ten 3-stars. The standout addition is 5-star EDGE Williams Nwaneri, who only played two games for Missouri last season but managed to contribute with two tackles and a sack. He is a hidden gem.

Now add 4-star Kentucky WR Dane Key and 4-star Alabama OT Elijah Pritchett to the mix, and Nebraska’s transfer haul is looking seriously dangerous! Will this rooster get the Huskers to the next level next season?