For months, Nebraska controlled the recruitment of 4-star cornerback Bryce Williams. They were even making headway when he was still committed to Florida State. The Huskers consistently positioned themselves as the team to beat. After his decommitment from the Seminoles, that only strengthened. And yet Matt Rhule and company now have an Oklahoma-sized problem. The Sooners might have entered the competition late, but analysts believe they’re surging and making progress in pulling Williams away from NU.
Bryce Williams has Nebraska football facing a sudden Oklahoma surge
On3 reported that Oklahoma has taken several visits to see Williams in Fort Lauderdale, and the Sooners' coaches have impressed him so much that recruiting analysts said OU is “surging.”
Of course, Nebraska heard this kind of talk before. When Clemson entered the battle for Bryce Williams, the Tigers were immediately called someone who could be a monkey wrench in Matt Rhule’s plans for the 4-star defensive back. However, there hasn’t been an official move on his prediction that he’ll eventually be a Cornhusker. Things still haven’t changed now that OU is in hot pursuit, but it feels as though a shift is coming.
On3’s Brian Munson, Sean Callahan, and Chad Simmons all put in predictions for the corner to commit to NU. So far, none of the analysts have changed their minds. They all still believe Williams will be playing his college years in Lincoln. But if Oklahoma keeps “surging,” it’s possible those predictions could be replaced by new ones, especially with more than six months to go until signing day.
Williams is the No. 23 overall corner in the 2027 class and the No. 24 overall player in his class from the state of Florida, per the Rivals Industry Rankings. The 247Sports Composite has him just a bit lower, ranked as the No. 36 corner and No. 28 player in Florida. While neither of those rankings is particularly high, he’s still a 4-star defender who could boost a Husker class that is trying to rebound after dropping in the team rankings over the last few months.
Bryce Williams leaves Nebraska football needing to survive months of Oklahoma pressure
NU opened 2026 looking like one of the best classes in the country, but has cooled off a bit as the spring has gone on. Nebraska is still ranked in the Top 15 by 247Sports, but has dropped all the way to No. 25 per rivals. Most recently, a recruiting loss for Ahmad Hudson to the LSU Tigers was a hit to Matt Rhule’s momentum. However, it’s possible he’s starting to turn things around.
While Bryce Williams’ decision could come later than expected, the Huskers have suddenly surged for a 4-star wide receiver in Matthew Gregory. If they can reel in Gregory and keep Bryce Williams, they could shoot back up the rankings.
Nebraska football knows it has a big fight on its hands. Now that the fight includes an old rival and an SEC power, things will tighten up over the next few months. If the Huskers can just make sure to stay away from the Sooners’ surge, they can lock up one of the better DBs in the 2027 class.
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