How Dylan Berymon’s commitment raises ceiling of Nebraska D-line

Nebraska football finally landed a defensive line commitment in the 2026 class, and a pretty darn good one at that.

After some hand-wringing as recently as last week, Nebraska football fans can breathe easy, following the pledge of Dylan Berymon, the four-star defensive tackle, who committed to the Huskers over Kentucky and others on social media on Wednesday.

People might not remember, but it’s technically National Signing Day. The Huskers will sign three-star quarterback Tanner Vibabul. He’s been committed but will put pen to paper.

Berymon will be doing that soon, if he hasn’t already. The 6-foot-2, 330-pound defensive tackle is a massive addition for the Huskers 2026 class — not just because of his weight.

That’s a big part of the equation, though. He will give Nebraska a space eater up front, although Berymon is much more than that. If you watch his tape, he’s routinely in the offensive backfield. He’s a disruptor, which is something Nebraska football desperately needs.

There were precious few of those on the defensive line last season. It’s hard to win in the Big Ten when that’s the case, especially against the upper-echelon teams.

Nebraska D-line looking much better

Now, though, the Huskers are starting to build some meaningful depth, and talent in the trenches.

Berymon, who is ranked 224th overall, according to the 247 Sports composite rankings, is the second blue-chip defensive tackle signed within two years. Malcolm Simpson (6-3, 285) is another, who was ranked 98th overall by On3 in the 2025 class.

Add those guys to Jashear Whittington, the Pitt transfer with three years to play, and Riley Van Poppel, as well as Tyson Terry; Gabe Moore, too, and suddenly that room feels adequately stocked.

Owen Stoudmire from Boston College should play extensively this season, but every other player listed has multiple years of eligibility. Simpson and Berymon have four years, as does Terry.

Kade Pietrzak only has three years left. So does Williams Nwaneri. That’s a solid group of EDGE prospects, though, to go along with veteran Cameron Lenhardt. Hopefully, Willis McGahee IV can thrive under the new staff, but the potential is there.

With Berymon in the fold, suddenly, the ceiling of the D-line room feels much higher. In the near future, Nebraska could have four former blue-chips starting up front. That’s not a bad place to be, and beyond that, there are some other quality pieces worth developing.

We’ll see what Corey Brown (D-line coach) and Roy Manning (EDGE coach) can do.

For More Nebraska content, follow us on Twitter, like our Facebook Page, and Subscribe to the Husker Big Red YouTube Channel. You can also find our podcast on Apple or Spotify.