It was a hectic Transfer Portal season for the Nebraska football team, with 17 players deciding to leave and 17 players coming to Lincoln from elsewhere. There were also three players who first entered the portal and then decided they wanted to stay Huskers after all.
When talking about the portal transfers that will hurt the Cornhuskers the most, Dylan Raiola is obviously right at the top of the list. Love him or think he's overrated, he was the starting quarterback for the last two NU teams that went to a bowl game. Even with his replacement in tow, his loss is still a biggy.
So, after Raiola, who are the most significant losses Nebraska suffered this winter? Whose exit could make the biggest impact?
Malcolm Hartzog will be missed in the Nebraska secondary
While he's undersized, Hartzog's departure means the Huskers have lost a veteran starting corner. He didn't get to play much in 2026, but his interception at the end of the Cincinnati game is a big reason why Nebraska made a bowl game in 2025.
Over the course of his career, Hartzog tallied 108 tackles, 13 passes defended, and 8 interceptions. The Huskers have plenty of talented defensive backs on their roster, but it would have been great to find a way to keep Hartzog in the mix.
Houston Ka'aha'aina-Torres move to Michigan is a blow for Nebraska
Houston Ka'aha'aina-Torres didn't see much playing time (just 14 snaps) as a true freshman. Still, it's clear the 6-foot-3, 300-pound interior offensive lineman has got some talent. At least the Michigan Wolverines believe that to be the case.
The lineman joined the Big Ten rival this winter under new head coach Kyle Whittingham. The veteran coach is undoubtedly someone who can identify talent, as demonstrated by his success at schools that couldn't rely on drawing in 5-stars on a routine basis.
With the Huskers rebuilding their offensive line under new coach Geep Wade, it would have been nice to have depth in the form of this young giant.
Keona Davis leaves Nebraska's biggest position of need
When talking about reloading for Year 4 of the Matt Rhule regime, the offensive and defensive lines are the team's most significant needs and question marks. Keona Davis' departure adds to that question.
This past season, he tallied 32 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 pass defended. One would have hoped he could improve on that under new defensive coordinator Rob Aurich.
There is one twist in this story, as Davis hasn't found a new home just yet. Is there still a chance he could return to Nebraska? It doesn't seem likely, but Rhule and his staff have already convinced three players to come back. It doesn't seem impossible that there could be a No. 4 returning.