Nebraska Football Offers Iowa Western Defensive Tackle

Nebraska joins other Power Four programs to offer the defensive tackle, as the Huskers join Michigan State, Penn State, Kansas State, Arkansas, Auburn, Iowa State, Purdue, and Texas Tech. Nebraska is the latest team to offer the Reiver, with the first Power Four offer arriving from the Big 12's Kansas State on Nov. 11. Burburija also has Group of Five offers from Boise State, Arkansas State, South Florida, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Eastern Michigan, Old Dominion, and Western Michigan.

Iowa Western earned its fourth national title in December, taking down Hutchinson Community College 28-10. Burburija was the second-leading tackler for the Reivers in the title game, totaling eight tackles with two sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss. His season performance earned him First-Team All-American status for the 2025 season.

Burburija was a no-star prospect in the Class of 2024 out of Crystal Lake, Ill. During his time as a high school prospect, Burbuija visited Michigan State and Penn State.

Nebraska has yet to add a defensive lineman to its 2026 portal class. The Huskers aim to replace three defensive lineman that departed in the portal so far, as sophomore Keona Davis, junior Dylan Parrott, and junior Jaylen George have announced their intention to enter the portal. Parrott and Davis have yet to announce their next destinations, as George has moved on to Tulsa.

Despite the hour-long commute and nearly 64-mile drive from Lincoln to Council Bluffs, Nebraska football has rarely communicated with coach Seth Strohmeier's program. The Huskers added 2020 walk-on Darius Moore, but have not added a Reiver under current coach Matt Rhule.

Nebraska has added impact players early in the transfer window, securing defensive starters Owen Chambliss (San Diego State), Will Hawthorne (Iowa State), and Dexter Foster (Oregon State) at linebacker. The Huskers dipped again into the Aztec defensive pool for safety Dwayne McDougle. Nebraska's 2026 recruitment class is without an interior defensive lineman presence as well.

"This'll be the first year we can do whatever we...we have the money now," Rhule said during the November bye week. "I can't complain anymore. We got what we need."

"In the previous couple years, I had to make a lot of hard decisions because we didn't have the money everyone else had."

The Huskers continue their college football transfer portal plans for the 2026 season through the single window, as the portal closes on Jan. 16.