The NFL Pipeline Nebraska Football Needs to Rebuild ASAP

Following two high stakes recruiting weekends that brought nearly 20 official visitors to Lincoln, the Huskers appeared to be gaining momentum on the trail. But that progress hit a snag with Tuesday night’s news: Nebraska’s top-ranked 2026 commit, four-star cornerback CJ Bronaugh, was backing off his pledge. While one decommitment doesn’t derail a class, it highlights a larger truth that in today’s recruiting landscape, blue-chip talent increasingly wants one thing: a proven path to the NFL.

And for Nebraska, that path has been inconsistent at best. Over the last decade, the Huskers have struggled to produce draft picks at the rate of their conference rivals, raising a tough question: can you recruit like a contender if you’re not developing pros like one?

When taking a look at the past five NFL drafts, dating back to 2021, Nebraska has produced just nine draft picks. Meanwhile, the Big Ten continues to churn out NFL talent at a high rate.

In the 2025 NFL draft alone, the conference accounted for 71 selections, nearly 32% of all players drafted. Of those 71, more than half (36 picks) came from four of the league’s top contenders: Ohio State (14), Oregon (10), Michigan (7), and Penn State (5). Other notable totals include Maryland (6), UCLA (5), and Iowa (5). Nebraska, with just two picks in April, finished in a three-way tie for 11th in the conference alongside Wisconsin and Indiana.

From a performance standpoint, Nebraska finished the 2024 season tied for 12th in the Big Ten with a 3–6 conference record. Only four schools finished lower. While not a perfect one-to-one, there’s a clear trend: teams that win in conference play are often the same ones producing NFL draft picks the following spring. Draft success tends to follow competitive success, and right now, Nebraska is lagging behind in both.

To regain relevance, both nationally and within the Big Ten, Nebraska must win now on the recruiting trail. While Matt Rhule is only entering his third recruiting cycle as Nebraska’s head coach, he’s already shown an ability to land high-end talent, particularly through the transfer portal.

The headliner of the 2024 class was five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola, a pivotal addition and the second-highest-rated recruit in program history. But Rhule didn’t stop there. Nebraska brought in 17 transfer players following the 2024 season, aggressively retooling the roster. Among them were several top-tier additions, including defensive lineman Williams Nwaneri (ranked No. 16), wide receiver Dane Key (No. 21), offensive lineman Rocco Spindler (No. 72), and wide receiver Nyziah Hunter (No. 83), all according to On3’s Top Transfers list.

With that in mind, the 2025 season presents Nebraska with a chance to shape its own narrative. Recent recruiting momentum has brought high-level talent to Lincoln for camps and 7-on-7 events, but there’s still one major piece missing: on-field success. As NIL and revenue sharing become more structured and impactful heading into 2025 and beyond, Nebraska has shown it’s willing to invest. The question now is whether the Huskers can convince top recruits not just that Lincoln is a place to get paid, but that it’s also a place to win.

It’s clear this coaching staff excels at identifying talent early, spotting players before they break out as nationally recognized prospects. But there’s no denying that a lack of recent program success makes it difficult for Nebraska to hold on to those blue-chip recruits once the spotlight finds them. Now that the foundation is in place: competitive NIL infrastructure, elite facilities, and a culture that players are buying into, the next step is retention. Because if Nebraska wants to compete for Big Ten titles and a future playoff spot, it can't just find talent. It has to keep it, develop it, and send it to the NFL.

That’s the standard Matt Rhule is trying to build. Speaking in April ahead of the NFL draft, Rhule said, "I always send them a note, 'Hey, this is just the beginning.' And what we need ... is that the guys when they get there, they're pros, they know how to do things. And then people start saying, 'Hey, go get a guy from Nebraska. Like if you get a guy from Nebraska, they know how to practice. They're going to be X, Y and Z.'"

That’s the reputation Nebraska used to have. And if Rhule gets his way, it’s one the Huskers will earn back, not just with words, but with wins. Because in today’s college football, NFL success isn’t just the reward. It’s the roadmap.

The foundation is there. The culture is changing. But the final step, the one that turns potential into production, is still ahead. And it starts with what happens on the field this fall.

If Nebraska wants to recruit like a playoff contender, it has to win like one. And if it wants to win like one, it has to start sending players to the league again, consistently, and in bunches. That’s the new formula in college football. And for a program chasing its next era of relevance, there’s no more time to wait. The proof has to come now.

Nebraska Football 2025 Schedule

• Aug. 28 (Thursday) vs. Cincinnati (Kansas City) 8 p.m. CDT on ESPN
• Sep. 6 vs. Akron 6:30 p.m. CDT on BTN
• Sep. 13 vs. Houston Christian 11 a.m. CDT on FS1
• Sep. 20 vs. Michigan 2:30 p.m. CDT on CBS
• Oct. 4 vs. Michigan State 11/2:30/3 CDT
• Oct. 11 at Maryland TBA
• Oct. 17 (Friday) at Minnesota 7 p.m. CDT on FOX
• Oct. 25 vs. Northwestern TBA
• Nov. 1 vs. USC TBA
• Nov. 8 at UCLA TBA
• Nov. 22 at Penn State TBA
• Nov. 28 (Black Friday) vs. Iowa 11 a.m. CST on CBS

Home games are bolded.

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