Since the portal opened on Monday, the Nebraska football team has seen many players enter it, and even more are expected to do so over the next few weeks.
Some of those who enter the portal will be more painful to lose than others. That's just the way of college sports. But two of the newest entries are among the most painful so far.
Earlier this week, redshirt freshman defensive back Dwight Bootle II and true freshman defensive lineman Keona Davis announced they were entering the portal. In the process, two young, up-and-coming defenders are looking to find a new home away from Nebraska football. Those are the kind of blows Husker coaches almost certainly hoped they wouldn't have to deal with in an offseason when they finally saw the program get to a bowl for the first time since the 2016 season.
Nebraska football loses pair of rising defensive stars to transfer portal in Keona Davis and Dwight Bootle II
Neither player saw much in the way of action since joining the Huskers but both were looking like guys who could factor into things in 2025, which is why both departures are surprising and painful.
Dwight Bootle II had just 8 snaps in his true freshman season, playing only in the Huskers’ game against Northern Illinois last season. This year he got 19 snaps, all against Indiana.
Davis saw a bit more extensive playing time in his true freshman season, amassing 90 snaps and racking up 9 total tackles and played at least a little in nearly every Nebraska football game. It will certainly be interesting to see if the Huskers can get one or both to come back, or where they’ll head next. Of course the biggest question is whether either or both will attempt to follow Tony White and Terrance Knighton to Florida State.