Nebraska Football Summer Position Previews: Linebacker

Summers are a time for fun. Long days with late sunsets. Sunscreen and swimming. Burgers, brats, and beers. Kids at summer camps and families on vacation. And, here in Nebraska, looking ahead to Husker football.

Every Saturday this summer – now my *10th* off-season since I started hosting the radio show – the KLIN Husker Hour will feature a position group. Nate Rohr and I take a closer look at how each group of players will shape the 2025 season. Returners, newcomers, departures, projected starters, depth chart, and what the team will need from the position to be successful.

Once you’re done reading the preview, watch or listen to the Husker Hour podcast with me and Nate (pinned at the bottom) previewing this position group. Or don’t. I’m not your dad. Do whatever you want…it’s summer!

RUNNING BACK

“Ya know, a lot of people go to college for seven years.”

“I know – they’re called doctors.”

This classic back and forth from one of my favorite comedies, Tommy Boy, is an obvious shot from David Spade’s snarky Richard aimed at Chris Farley’s dim-witted Tommy Callahan. But it’s not insulting to point out that the oldest football player at Nebraska, linebacker Javin Wright, is now entering his seventh year in school.

In fact, it’s quite an example of overcoming adversity.

After redshirting in 2019, Wright didn’t play in 2020 due to a preseason injury. He also missed the first four games of the 2024 season due to blood clots. While he couldn’t participate in full practices through much of the year, he did manage to play in NU’s last nine games. His arrow is trending upward after a career-high eight tackles in the Pinstripe Bowl victory over Boston College.

Wright made 51 stops as a junior in 2023, then another 34 as a senior in 2024. His versatility is key for the Blackshirts, having spent time in Lincoln as a nickel and currently practicing at both inside and “JACK” positions.

With the 2025 season on the horizon, it’s hard to believe Nebraska has a player on the team who committed in the fall of *2018* during Scott Frost’s first season! But he’s back for one last ride, and he’s a big part of the plan at linebacker.

Replacing production from guys like John Bullock and Mikai Gbayor, who had 70 and 49 tackles respectively in 2024, will mean bigger roles for rising sophomores Vincent Shavers and Willis McGahee IV, both Miami natives. It will mean swapping outgoing transfers Princewill Umanmielen and Stefon Thompson with incoming transfers Dasan McCullough and Marques Watson-Trent.

Other potential contributors include sophomores Jacob Bower and Maverick Noonan, as well as true freshmen Christian Jones, Dawson Merritt, and Pierce Mooberry, all four-star recruits.

Inside linebackers coach Rob Dvoracek returns for his third season, offering stability as the only defensive position coach back from a year ago. Phil Simpson is in at outside ‘backers coach, a strong recruiter with South Florida ties who must help produce pressure from the edge. It’s on these two to put the right pieces in place – starters, rotation, development – to help solidify the second level of the defense.

As with the defensive line, there’s plenty of potential that remains unproven until the lights come on. It’s hard not to be bullish on this group, but they’ll have to go do it on the field. It won’t hurt having a guy like Javin Wright involved. As a leader, an NU legacy, and a swiss army knife to move around before the snap, he’s poised to put his stamp on a long career.

Give the guy a doctorate. He’s earned it!

1. Returnees

Javin Wright

Vincent Shavers

Willis McGahee IV

Maverick Noonan

Dylan Rogers

Gage Stenger

Jordan Ochoa

Jacob Bower

Roger Gradney

Ethan Duda

Derek Wacker

Michael Booker III

Connor Schutt

Trent Uhlir

2. Newcomers

Marques Watson-Trent (transfer from Georgia Southern)

Dasan McCullough (transfer from Oklahoma)

Christian Jones

Dawson Merritt

Pierce Mooberry

3. Departures

John Bullock (UDFA to Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

MJ Sherman (CFL’s Montreal Alouettes)

Mikai Gbayor (transferred to North Carolina)

Princewill Umanmielen (transferred to Ole Miss)

Stefon Thompson (transferred to Florida State)

4. Expected Starters

Marques Watson-Trent (LB)

Vincent Shavers (LB)

Javin Wright (JACK)

5. Projected Depth Chart

Dasan McCullough

Willis McGahee IV

Dawson Merritt

Maverick Noonan

Christian Jones

Jacob Bower