Nebraska Football Defense Preview 2025: The Cornhuskers Will Be Nastier

- Talent-wise, the Nebraska defense was and will be okay. It might not have a ton of elite stars, but there’s no lack of energy or want-to, and it showed with the nation’s eighth-best run defense.

The pass rush needs to be a little stronger, and the secondary needs to come up with more plays, but it’ll be more of the same overall, and that’s not a negative.

- The line will be sound around the combination of Elijah Jeudy on the nose and Cam Lenhardt as a big end. They’re not all that bulky, but they can move.

The slight concern is on the outside, where top pass rusher Ty Robinson is done, along with most of the other top playmakers behind the line. It’ll be about the rotation on the ends, needing transfers Williams Nwaneri (Missouri) and Jaylen George (Tennessee State) to shine right away.

- Dasan McCullough has the potential to be the star of the defense. Good at Indiana, he transferred to Oklahoma, where he had a decent sophomore year, but he hurt his foot and wasn’t able to go full bore for most of last year. He should be a leading tackler and factor behind the line on the outside of the linebacking corps.

Javin Wright and Vincent Shavers combined for 59 tackles last season, but there’s plenty of depth and competition for the three spots. Georgia Southern’s Marques Watson-Trent has to find a spot somewhere - he made 356 tackles over the last three seasons.

- The secondary is a great mix of experience and upside. With the addition of Idaho transfer Andrew Marshall at one corner, Malcolm Hartzog will likely move to a safety position to utilize his ball-hawking skills after leading the team with four picks, along with 45 tackles.

DaShon Singleton was second on the team with 71 tackles and three broken up passes. He’ll hold down one safety spot again, and Ceyair Wright is back after making 39 tackles with two picks, taking one for a score.

2025 Nebraska Preview
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Keys to Season, Best Players, Top Transfer
Season Prediction, Win Total