Nebraska football builds momentum on key visit weekend

The recruiting dead period is fast approaching, and that means that it’s time to start closing out commitments for Nebraska football.

This past weekend, Matt Rhule and his staff certainly took a step in that direction with a number of top targets in the 2026 class, who were in Lincoln for official visits to the Nebraska football program.

As always, Rhule and the Huskers killed it. I can’t say enough good things about Matt Rhule, the recruiter. Nebraska might not win every battle, but it’s not from a lack of trying.

This staff trusts their evaluations and their process. Yes, Nebraska might be ranked low, according to some recruiting rankings, but it’s June. There is plenty of time to course correct.

Early returns on a successful weekend for Nebraska football

This weekend was a step in the right direction. Four-star athlete (linebacker/safety) Jacob Eberhart told Bryan Munson of Husker Online that Nebraska leads after his official visit.

The On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine gives the Huskers a 63 percent chance to win out for the No. 368 overall recruit in the 2026 class, via the On3 Industry Rankings.

Jamal Rule, a three-star running back ranked 778th overall in the 2026 class, out of Charlotte, also told Munson that the Huskers are in his top two after the visit. Virginia Tech is also in the mix, and Michigan State will get the next visit. Nebraska is the favorite, though, according to On3 (28.3 percent chance).

Another critical target of the Huskers is in-state cornerback Darion Jones. He’s the second-best player in the state of Nebraska in the 2026 class. Iowa is in hot pursuit, but it feels like Nebraska football made a move this weekend, ahead of a July 4th commitment date.

6-foot-5 offensive tackle, Leon Noil, out of New Orleans, told Munson his visit was “perfect.” There are two other visits before a July 7th commitment date. Nebraska football is the heavy favorite via the On3.

On defense, Nebraska also impressed four-star linebacker Calvin Thomas, a linebacker out of Houston. Thomas is ranked No. 353 overall in the 2026 class. Texas is the leader according to the On3 prediction machine, but the Huskers might have made a move.

They did with all of these other recruits.

Valdin Sone was the other big target. He’s 6-3, 320, and ranked No. 140 overall. Nebraska needs a defensive tackle like him. He chose to visit Lincoln instead of Georgia, but could still visit the Bulldogs.

Outside of keeping CJ Bronaugh, Sone might be the top priority on the board. Guys like that don’t grow on trees. They also literally cost millions in the portal, so if the Huskers could land an elite D-line prospect straight out of high school, that would be massive.