Nebraska football has watched overlooked in-state prospects become college stars elsewhere before, and Tay Tay Jenkins is doing everything possible to join that list. The running back keeps producing absurd numbers, raising the question of whether Matt Rhule and Co. are overlooking another offensive weapon in their own backyard.
If the running back becomes that kind of player at the next level, NU won’t be the only school slapping its forehead in frustration. The Omaha Westside star’s only notable offer right now is South Dakota, though Colorado State has at least drawn some attention.
Jenkins is having another fantastic season for a team that just logged the biggest win of the year against Millard South on Friday. The two-time All-Nebraska player has scored on 26 of his 106 touches this season (97 rushes, 9 receptions). His end-zone rate is an astonishing 24.5%.
“I've coached some good ones, but he just has that speed, explosiveness, and strength that is just hard to find. He's quick and fast. You're either one or the other. He’s quick and fast,’’ Westside coach Paul Limongi told the Omaha World-Herald earlier this week about his star player. “He finds the hole. He doesn't go down very easily. He blocks very well. He's awesome out of the backfield.”
Tay Tay Jenkins’ historic Omaha Westside production could haunt Nebraska football recruiting
The 5-foot-8, 170-pounder is Westside’s career rushing leader with totals of 5,052 yards and 73 rushing touchdowns in 33 games, plus another 789 yards and 10 touchdowns through the air. Entering Friday night, Jenkins had already tallied 1,193 yards and 23 touchdowns on 97 carries, plus 243 yards and three touchdowns on nine catches from Missouri quarterback commit Braylen Warren. Jenkins is averaging 12.3 yards per rush and 27.0 yards per catch.
Jenkins was at Omaha Creighton Prep his freshman year, then transferred to Westside. He believes that move changed his entire life.
“Westside's done a lot. They helped me with football, help me in the classroom as well. Give me the mentors, tutors, that I need to complete high school, and they're always there for me at any given moment,’’ Jenkins told the paper. “If I need them, I can call on anybody on the Westside team, the coaches, the staff, anybody.”
It’s a safe bet that one question he’s asking those coaches is why he doesn’t have any attention from FBS programs, including Nebraska. His tiny build is the most obvious reason why, but guys his size have proved scouts wrong before.
Nebraska had one of those guys: running back Cory Ross, nicknamed “Pork Chop.”
Ross was a fan favorite at Nebraska because the small, boxy back was hard to tackle. He tallied 2,743 career rushing yards (ranked 9th on Nebraska’s all-time rushing list), 17 rushing touchdowns and 5 receiving touchdowns. Like Jenkins, Ross was a weapon catching passes out of the backfield. He notched 71 career receptions in his Husker career.
While Nebraska would likely take him in a heartbeat as a walk-on, Jenkins’ head coach says interest is finally starting to pick up. The real question is whether the 2027 prospect will attract interest fast enough for an FBS program to offer a scholarship before December’s national signing day.
“He’s going to find something,” Limongi said. “And it's going to be a place that's going to be extremely happy.”
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