The running back position and Nebraska football used to be synonymous with one another. If there was one thing you could absolutely depend on every season in Lincoln, it was that the Huskers would have an impressive stable of backs. That hasn’t really been the case over the last decade, outside of a year here or there.
Head coach Matt Rhule is working to change that. Both through the transfer portal and through high school recruiting. To that end, one of the Huskers’ top running back targets in the 2026 class was in Lincoln to see what he could see. It appears that Jamal Rule liked what he saw.
Jamal Rule says Nebraska football feels like home after standout visit
Thanks @HuskerFootball for an awesome visit to Lincoln this weekend! GBR 🔴@CoachEJbarthel @CoachMattRhule @Huskers @247Sports @On3sports @Rivals @CoachJames90 @ChadSimmons_ pic.twitter.com/VnmYJtJb31
— Jamal “ROCK” Rule...Terminator (@JamalRule23) March 31, 2025
In particular, Rule saw something in the odds-on favorite to be the starting running back for Nebraska football in 2025. He sees a fit for himself in the Cornhuskers' offense because he sees something of himself in Emmett Johnson.
"The last couple games he was eating,” Rule told Rivals during an unofficial visit this weekend. “As he was playing, I just saw myself."
Rule is rated the 44th overall running back in the 2026 class and the 33rd overall player in his class from the state of North Carolina per the 247Sports Composite Rankings. At the moment, it appears as though Boston College, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and North Carolina State are among the top schools in the running for him. Last season, he rushed for 1,236 yards, and 15 touchdowns on 134 carries according to MaxPreps.
Rule is expected to take an official visit to see the Nebraska football team again on June 13. Hopefully, shortly after that visit, he’ll pull the trigger and help the Cornhuskers really start to rebuild their reputation as Runningback U.