3 takeaways as Nebraska football finalizes 2026 roster

On Wednesday, Nebraska football added what could be the final player to the 2026 roster, as the Huskers signed four-star defensive tackle Dylan Berymon in the 2026 class.

It was a late recruiting win for Matt Rhule and the Nebraska football program. Yet, it was still significant. The Huskers finished with an 11-man class in 2026. However, it had three blue-chip players, who all play critical positions.

Defensive tackle and offensive tackle are two places where you need to have blue-chip talent, or you need to be damn good at development. Nebraska needs to be both, but landing players ranked in the top 224 at both positions is win, along with a top-50 (composite rankings) cornerback.

Nebraska also added 16 transfers. Brendan Black is the only four-star among the group, but the Huskers added some quality veterans. The roster has been updated, and here are three final takeaways on the all of the offseason movement, the 2026 recruiting class included.

Huskers are better off at QB

Dylan Raiola might work out for Oregon. But that’s Oregon. He won’t have the raise the level of play around him there. He will need to raise his level of play. We’ll see if that change helps him.

In Anthony Colandrea, it feels like the Huskers have a QB that fits the offense better. Colandrea is a true dual-threat, which could alleviate some red-zone issues, and he is a playmaker. He’s also a veteran.

Raiola struggled with getting sacked so much, partially because he’s a statue. He also didn’t have great pocket awareness, or it seemed, the awareness to do much pre-snap. Even if there is pressure, good quarterbacks know where it’s coming from, and Dylan didn’t always seem to know.

You also have two Elite-11 guys behind him in Daniel Kaelin and TJ Lateef. Each has started games, has designs on being the starter in 2027, and each has three years of eligibility left.

That’s a good place to be.

Defense will surprise some people

Nebraska has been one of the youngest teams in college football. This season, based on the defensive snaps added from the portal, the Huskers will be one of the most veteran.

They added sure-fire starters in Owen Chambliss and Dwayne McDougle, plus added veterans up front in Anthony Jones, Owen Stoudmire, and Jashear Whittington, who all played extensively, at least in one season of college football.

Nebraska also brings back Cameron Lendhardt, Riley Van Poppel, Kade Pietrzak, Williams Nwaneri, Andrew Marshall, Donovan Jones, Vincent Shavers, and even guys like Willis McGahee IV or Caleb Benning, who could break out under the new defensive staff.

The point is, Nebraska is deep and experienced on all three levels of the defense. That’s not something we could say last season. And if Rob Aurich is the real deal, this could easily be a top-25 defense like it was during Rhule’s first two seasons.

Better in the trenches = passing grade

This is connected to the second part, but overall, Matt Rhule identified where Nebraska wasn’t good enough: the trenches, and he did something about it.

Rhule fired his offensive and defensive line coaches. He replaced Donovan Raiola with Geep Wade, then added another O-line coach, Lonnie Teasley, as the run-game coordinator.

He also replaced Terry Braden with Corey Brown, an experienced D-line coach. Beyond that, the Huskers landed three defensive linemen in the portal, plus the top-ranked uncommitted prospect in the late period at defensive tackle.

With Malcolm Simpson (DT), Berymon (DT), Pietrzak (EDGE), Nwaneri (EDGE), Lenhardt (EDGE), and Van Poppel (DT), the Huskers have six former blue-chip prospects on their D-line.

Tyson Terry is going to out-play his ranking, in my opinion, plus there are other good pieces such as Stoudmire, Whittington, and Gabe Moore, who doesn’t get talked about enough, or David Hoffken. McGahee also seems like a better fit at EDGE than Jack linebacker, just like the four-man front suits the entire D-line better.

Nebraska also added three dudes on the offensive line with double-digit starts under their belt for their career. Black was one of the best guards in the portal. Tre Babalade is ranked as the 21st-best offensive tackle in the portal.

He’s expected to be the right tackle, but will still need to beat out the likes of Gunnar Gottula and Grant Brix, a former starter, and a former top-100 recruit.

Frankly, I’d be stunned if Nebraska wasn’t notably better in the trenches on both sides of the ball. So with that in mind, the offseason, as a whole, feels like a win.

That’s why Matt Rhule gets a passing grade from me.

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