Matt Rhule has built a strong 2027 recruiting class, but Nebraska isn’t waiting around to begin work on the next wave of Huskers.
A packed visitor list is expected in Lincoln for Saturday night’s matchup with Bowling Green, and what immediately jumps out is the range of recruiting classes represented. Nebraska will have prospects on campus from the 2027, 2028, 2029 and even 2030 cycles.
Yes, you read that correctly — 2030.
Some of the players making the trip to Lincoln are still years away from signing
day, but Rhule and his staff appear determined to establish those relationships as early as possible.
It doesn’t hurt that Nebraska has picked a pretty good weekend to showcase what Lincoln has to offer.
The 2027 Class Comes Back to Lincoln
Nebraska already has plenty to be excited about with its 2027 class, and three Husker commitments on the visitor list should be familiar names to recruiting followers.
Quarterback Trae Taylor, wide receiver Khalil Taylor and defensive tackle Nehemiah Ombati are all expected in town.
Taylor has emerged as the headline name of Nebraska’s class and will play his senior season at Millard South after moving from Illinois. He has also become a regular presence around the Nebraska program, which is exactly what Rhule needs from the quarterback leading his recruiting class.
Khalil Taylor is another major piece of the class. The Pine-Richland receiver gives Nebraska a talented weapon to pair with its future quarterback and represents another recruiting victory outside the Huskers’ traditional footprint.
Then there is Ombati, the 275-pound defensive tackle out of Shakopee, Minnesota. Nebraska has made improving the talent and depth in the trenches a major part of its recruiting efforts, and Ombati gives the Huskers another big body to develop on the defensive side of the ball.
Their presence this weekend could be important beyond simply getting three commitments back on campus.
Nebraska will have dozens of younger prospects walking the sidelines and experiencing Memorial Stadium. Having players such as Taylor, Taylor and Ombati around gives those recruits an opportunity to spend time with guys who have already decided that Lincoln is where they want to play college football.
Sometimes your best recruiters aren’t wearing headsets.
2028 Takes Center Stage
While Nebraska’s 2027 commitments provide some star power, the sheer number of 2028 prospects expected in Lincoln tells us where much of the staff’s attention is beginning to shift.
Quarterbacks Kai Storer and Owen Herrick are on the visitor list, along with running back Gabriel Hegellheimer and receivers Marshaun Thornton and Dinari Overton.
There is also a significant collection of linemen scheduled to attend, including Evan Mitchell, Grayson Williams, Jaxen Cepeda and Justin Joseph on offense, with Christian Webb-Scott, Harrison Sjoquist and RJ Cruz III among the defensive front prospects.
Throw in linebackers Johnny Moore and Max Burns, along with defensive back Justin Ehlers, and this starts looking like an important early recruiting weekend for the 2028 cycle.
Several of those names have already appeared on Nebraska’s radar as the Huskers begin identifying their priorities for the class.
This is where recruiting never really stops.
The 2027 class isn’t signed yet, but Nebraska can’t afford to wait until December before turning its attention toward 2028. Relationships built this weekend could become increasingly important over the next 12 to 18 months.
How Far Ahead Is Nebraska Looking?
Apparently, very far.
The visitor list doesn’t stop at 2028.
Nebraska is also expected to host a sizeable collection of 2029 prospects, including quarterback Brody Peters, receivers Justyn Lindsay and Ty Barman, tight end Brooks Auker, edge rusher KJ Crite, defensive lineman Charles Ibe, linebacker Vince Kratochvil and safety Henry Walz.
And then we get to 2030.
Quarterback Carter Cupito, receiver Camden Berry, defensive lineman Charlie Lamonica and edge rusher Niko Anest are listed among the visitors.
These players have an enormous amount of high school football still ahead of them. Some will rise dramatically in the recruiting rankings, others will take different paths, and Nebraska’s needs will inevitably change before their signing day arrives.
That isn’t really the point.
The value for Nebraska is getting them through the doors now.
Let them walk around Memorial Stadium. Let them meet the coaches. Let them see the facilities. Most importantly, let them experience what a Nebraska home game feels like.
Then keep building the relationship.
Under the Lights Is a Pretty Good Sales Pitch
Nebraska couldn’t have asked for a much better setting to host such a young group of recruits.
Saturday’s game kicks off at 6 p.m. CT, giving Nebraska its first night game at Memorial Stadium this season. Rhule has made no secret of how much he values the atmosphere created in Lincoln after dark.
The Huskers are also adding a little extra theatre.
Nebraska has scheduled light shows during the latter stages of the game, with a drone show following the Bowling Green matchup.
That should make for quite a spectacle.
And when you have recruits from four different classes in the building, spectacle isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Recruiting ultimately comes down to much more than flashing lights and drones. Players want to know how they will be developed, where they fit into the depth chart and whether they can trust the coaching staff. NIL and the possibility of eventually reaching the NFL are going to matter too.
But getting a teenager excited about Nebraska football certainly doesn’t hurt.
A night inside a packed Memorial Stadium followed by a drone show gives the coaching staff something that can’t be replicated through a phone call or a graphic sent on social media.
The recruits actually get to feel Nebraska football.
Rhule Is Building Beyond One Recruiting Class
The 2027 cycle has given Nebraska something Rhule desperately needs: a strong foundation of high school talent.
Now comes the next challenge.
The Huskers have to keep that class together while simultaneously finding the players who will follow it.
That is what makes Saturday’s visitor list so encouraging.
Nebraska isn’t simply bringing in a handful of 2027 targets hoping to put the finishing touches on the current class. The Huskers have filled the weekend with players who could become the backbone of the program years down the road.
There are 2028 prospects who will soon become priority targets. There are 2029 recruits getting their first real taste of Nebraska football. There are even 2030 players beginning relationships with Rhule’s staff before most fans have started thinking about that recruiting cycle.
It is impossible to know how many of them will eventually become Huskers.
But getting them to Lincoln is the first battle.
Now Nebraska has the opportunity to put them inside Memorial Stadium on a Saturday night, turn on the lights and give them a glimpse of what playing for the Big Red could look like.
Rhule has built an impressive 2027 class. This weekend is about making sure Nebraska doesn’t stop there.
