While there weren’t any Nebraska football players taken in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Husker coaching staff had their fingerprints all over Thursday night.
As it turns out, there were not one, not two, but three players taken in the first round of the draft that were recruited and or developed by current Nebraska coaches. That might not help the Cornhuskers this year, but it does demonstrate the kind of staff Matt Rhule has put together and will almost certainly be something these coaches talk about while they are out on the road recruiting.
Nebraska football coaches connected to trio of NFL Draft first-rounders
Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou, Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden and Tennesee edge rusher James Pearce Jr. all have ties to Nebraska that Matt Rhule and company will certainly point to. All three went in the first round and will also have some serious NFL careers to point to in the next few years.
Membou was taken No. 9 overall by the New York Jets on Thursday night. He spent his high school years learning the ropes under current Husker assistant coach Jamar Mozee when Mozee was the head coach of Lee's Summit (Mo.) North.
Earlier this month, Membou talked about Mozee’s impact on him to the Carolina Panthers’ official site:
"My high school head coach, I love him, Jamar Mozee. He sat me down. He was like, Hey, I think you can take this seriously. Like, I think you could be a pro and just continue to work hard. He helped me a lot because, at first, I was terrible at football. Then he brought out the nasty and what it takes being an O-lineman. So I really owe him a lot."
Golden was recruited to Houston by now-Nebraska offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen and wide receivers coach Daikiel Shorts Jr. With the Cougars, Golden totaled 76 receptions for 988 yards and 13 touchdowns. He added over 400 kick return yards and two kickoffs returned for touchdowns. When Holgorsen was fired and Shorts left for Kentucky, Golden transferred to Texas. The former Longhorn is now a member of the Green Bay Packers.
New NU special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler is widely credited as a big factor in getting Pearce to Tennessee in the 2022 class. While Ekeler is known as a special teams wizard, he also coached outside linebackers in Knoxville. Pearce is good enough that the Atlanta Falcons traded back into the first round to take him at No. 26 overall.
Several members of the Nebraska football staff can now be proud of the impacts they had on some important first-round picks, while they get ready for tonight and see if any Huskers can be taken on the second day of the 2025 NFL Draft.