Several years into the Transfer Portal, has the Nebraska football team seen mostly success or failure? The question is a tricky one. However, considering there's even a question, it's clear that the Huskers need to have a successful recruiting class in the 2027 cycle. Especially after the 2026 class was both tiny and very low-ranked.
The Huskers have had some big wins from transfers. Ceyair Wright stands out as one of the biggest impact transfer players in the Matt Rhule era. There are also guys like former UCLA wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer, who could be massive additions when all is said and done. And yet, beyond Wright, it's hard to name one player NU grabbed from the portal who is or was an unmitigated success.
Nebraska football's last portal quarterback was the personification of disaster
One need look no further than quarterback for a position that has had poor results so far. Rhule's first quarterback, Jeff Sims, was not just bad but disastrous in his short stint in Lincoln. It was so bad, Nebraska sold the farm to reel in Dylan Raiola and hoped he'd be "the man" for at least three years. Instead, he moved on after two, and Anthony Colandrea moved in.
Running back has also been a problem area in the Transfer Portal. However, unlike QB, the struggles there are more about who the Huskers didn't get, not about landing bad players. Nebraska hasn't been aggressive enough in the portal at RB. Dante Dowdell was good, but he moved on after one year.
Instead, the breakout came from within, as Emmett Johnson delivered a record-setting season as a one-man band. His explosion was a great story, but it wasn't the plan until the Huskers had no other choice.
Rush end has been especially troubling at Nebraska in the portal era
Edge rusher is a premium position—one that often commands top dollar in the portal—and Nebraska's returns here have been consistently disappointing. Last year, Rhule thought he had a guy who could turn into a monster in Williams Nwaneri. The defensive lineman finished his first year in Lincoln with 27 tackles and 2.5 sacks, but it wasn't the impact player they hoped.
All this is why there's so much emphasis on the 2027 recruiting class. However, even there, things aren't working out exactly as they first appeared. Nebraska started the winter with one of the best groups in the country.
The Huskers slipped as other teams got new commitments and now sit at No. 20 in the nation. It's a decent mark, but it's not all that different than the classes NU normally reels in. It's no longer the blockbuster class it looked like just a month ago.
Nebraska has to find a way to regain its momentum. Summer visits could give Matt Rhule another boost, and this offseason's Transfer Portal additions could buck the trend and be impact players. Nervousness around the program, especially around the portal, is understandable.
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