Grading Nebraska football’s transfer portal haul in 2026

The transfer portal is closed for Nebraska football, although schools still have until Wednesday morning to enter players into the portal due to the Monday holiday.

So another name could technically creep into the portal, but that seems unlikely at this point. The Huskers had 16 transfer portal commitments. There were 15 departures, with former starting quarterback Dylan Raiola included in that mix.

The Huskers addressed many needs: OL, DL, QB, LB, and the secondary. Running back hasn’t been addressed, and Matt Rhule made it seem like it won’t be.

Looking back at the class as a whole, we are going to give grades to the offense, defense, and yes, the moves that will impact special teams, and give a weighted grade to the entire class.

Offense: B+

Nebraska football found a new starter in Anthony Colandrea. They have also added depth to the quarterback room, and another player with starting potential in Daniel Kaelin. All three veterans in the quarterback room have started games and will aim to win the job this fall.

Colandrea, earning between $1.5-$2 million, is a shoo-in to be the starter, but the battle for the backup job could determine who starts for the Huskers in 2027, keeping the seat warm for Trae Taylor.

That was solid work in the portal, although Kenny Minchey could have been a two-year starter. The Huskers haven’t addressed the running back position. It feels risky to go into the 2026 season with Mehki Nelson and Isaiah Mozee as the running back options. Connor Booth and Jamal Rule are in the mix, too, but that seems thin.

Nelson and Mozee combined for 216 yards in the bowl game. So there is that. We’ll see.

One of my favorite additions is Kwazi Gilmer, the UCLA wide receiver. He’s had a reception in 23 straight games. The wide receiver room with Nyziah Hunter, Jacory Barney, Gilmer, and Cortez Mills, along with Quinn Clark, is something Nebraska football fans can feel good about.

The Huskers also added three players with 56 combined starts at Iowa State, LSU, and South Carolina. Nebraska now has Elijah Pritchett, Paul Mubenga, Justin Evans, Brendan Black, and Tree Babalade as the projected starters, with Gunnar Gottula, Tyler Knaak, and others still on the roster, such as Grant Brix and Gibson Pyle.

Nebraska’s O-line feels deeper, and the starting jobs will be earned. An impact running back would have made this grade an A. Colandrea’s rushing ability, with more than 1,100 yards in his career, will help offset the rushing yardage lost with the departure of Emmett Johnson to the NFL.

So with a veteran, playmaking QB, a better offensive line, and a wide receiver group that should be as good or better than 2026, based on additions and development, there’s reason to believe the offense will be better.

Defense: B-

If you look at the difference between Nebraska’s defense in 2025 and other top defenses in the Big Ten, the lack of impact players in the trenches stands out.

Matt Rhule inherited Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher. He hasn’t really been able to add talented veterans at the position, although there are some youngsters, Williams Nwaneri included, who can make that track record look a lot better.

That being said, Nebraska added some interesting pieces. Anthony Jones, who has had 3.5 sacks over the past two seasons, was the top pass rusher added. He did have five pressures against USC last season, and 16 total.

Owen Stoudmire, who was limited to three games last season (all starts) with Boston College, had 30 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks back in 2024. Jashear Whittington (6-3, 270) is another defensive tackle addition from Pitt who seems to have starting-caliber ability.

There are no sure-fire impact players, but the depth is improved, and Whittington was the No. 30 DL in the portal via 247 Sports with three years left to play. That’s a win.

Owen Chambliss (LB) and Dwayne McDougle (S) are the two additions who could have the most immediate impact. McDougle had four interceptions for SDSU last season and is a stellar run defender. Chambliss had 109 tackles and four sacks last season, which can help with the pass rush.

Jones will make a better impact than people realize, but it also doesn’t feel like there’s an all-conference addition in this group, which is a little disappointing.

None of the defensive additions were rated as four stars by 247 Sports. Only Black was on offense.

Special teams: C-

Nebraska football added a long-snapper from Michigan State, Jack Willis. The bigger issue is that it lost return specialist Kenneth Williams to the transfer portal. Barney was good on punt returns last season, so there are options on the roster, but the Huskers will need to address that question moving forward.

Overall: B

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