After a disappointing end to the 2025 season, Nebraska football coaches know there's quite a lot of pressure from the fanbase to have a ton of success in the transfer portal. Sunday's commitment of Malachi Breland to Arkansas is the exact opposite of what Husker fans hoped this weekend would look like.
Breland, a former Memphis Tiger, was reportedly high on NU's wish list at offensive line. They had expected a visit from the 6-foot-5, 340-pound guard this weekend, but he canceled and checked out the Razorbacks.
The visit to the SEC school led to Breland pulling the trigger on a commitment. Matt Zenitz was the first to announce the first real Transfer Portal showdown loss for Nebraska, and Breland's agent has confirmed where the player is heading.
The loss of Malachi Breland reshapes Nebraska’s portal priorities
There is one key that should make Husker fans feel better about this loss. Breland is originally from Mississippi, and then of course went to Memphis for his first college years. Now, by signing with Arkansas, he's staying in the same area where he grew up. It's possible he just realized he didn't want to head up north.
That's cold consolation for Nebraska, which needs to start racking up wins in the transfer portal. Sunday has been an active one as teams begin to land their top targets.
Considering the number of visitors the Huskers had in Lincoln starting yesterday, they could land one of their own fairly soon. However, as the hours tick down on Sunday, there's going to be a wait into the week. The longer the wait, the more nervous Nebraska fans are going to get.