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As the summer recruiting dead period approaches at the end of June, Nebraska, like much of college football, has seen a noticeable rise in international prospects among its top campus visitors this cycle.
While special teams' coordinators have long tapped into global talent for punters and kickers, Nebraska’s recent recruiting efforts hint at something bigger: a growing wave of non-domestic athletes being evaluated at a broader range of positions. As the sport continues to evolve heading into 2025 and beyond, the Huskers may be positioning themselves at the forefront of this new era in global recruiting.
Nebraska’s current roster already reflects a modest global footprint, with players like German defensive lineman David Hoffken and the most recent addition to the 2025 roster, Australian punter Archie Wilson. But recent recruiting cycles suggest the staff is widening that international lens more than ever before.
Following a more traditional, homegrown slate of official visitors during the first weekend, the two weeks after June 6 marked a noticeable shift, drawing increased attention to a diverse group of non-conventional prospects from overseas, spanning multiple positions.
On a jam-packed weekend of official visitors, Nebraska also held its annual Friday Night Lights camp on June 13, welcoming over 300 prospects, primarily from the 2027 and 2028 recruiting classes. Among them was a standout group of international athletes brought stateside through PPI Recruits.
Founded by former CFL and European Football League player Brandon Collier, PPI Recruits is an organization that "Aims to help international players find pathways to American football" (via ppirecruits.com). And on this particular night in Lincoln, that mission was on full display.
With a reported “three van-loads” of recruits, Collier brought a wave of international talent directly to Nebraska’s doorstep for the camp. The group featured a wide range of developmental stages, but several names stood out among the crowd.
One of the headliners was Swedish three-star edge defender Gustaf Hendriks-Ras (2026), who currently holds offers from Ole Miss, South Carolina, and Georgia, among others.
Joining him was fellow Swede Adrian Bekibele, a three-star defensive lineman in the 2026 class. Bekibele’s offer list includes Sacramento State, Florida, and Georgia.
Also in attendance was 2026 safety Jackson Mackay, originally from Canada. Mackay has already drawn interest from Liberty, who offered earlier this year, but offers a 6-foot-2 frame and versatile athletic ability that is sure to get him higher-level offers over the coming months
Lastly, towering 6-foot-7, 380-pounds, is offensive tackle Musa Bajaha, a native of Germany, was on campus. Bajaha currently holds an offer from Florida.
Highlighted in Nebraska Football Wraps Up Huge Recruiting Weekend, four-star defensive lineman Valdin Sone was also among the PPI Recruits group in attendance. As it stands, this marked the largest number of international prospects Nebraska has ever hosted at a single camp.
As Nebraska continues to rebuild its on-field product under Matt Rhule, carving out a niche on the recruiting trail matters more than ever. For a program that’s long prided itself on work ethic and player development, turning to international talent may not just be innovative, it might be a perfect fit.
The game of college football is changing, and if Nebraska wants to keep up, it has to change with it.
While the Huskers will always lean into their regional identity and continue pulling top trench talent from the Midwest, it’s clear that overseas recruits are becoming a growing priority for playoff-caliber programs nationwide.
Nebraska has a chance to be at the forefront of that shift. Just as former Pac-12 schools like Utah established a reliable pipeline of Polynesian talent over the past few decades, Nebraska could carve out its own niche in the international recruiting landscape.
The title of “trendsetter” is still up for grabs, and the talent is real. Camps have shown that these prospects belong at high-level programs. Whether Nebraska continues to tap into global talent more regularly remains to be seen, but for now, building relationships and hosting players through groups like PPI Recruits is a promising first step.
For more on the recruiting pipelines Nebraska needs to rebuild immediately, check out The NFL Pipeline Nebraska Football Needs to Rebuild ASAP
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